ICE officers are believed to have lied about a shooting in Minneapolis, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons shared.
“A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements,” Lyons said in a statement shared with reporters. “Both officers have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a thorough internal investigation. Lying under oath is a serious federal offense. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is actively investigating these false statements.”
He added that ICE officers are “entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct. Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated. ICE remains fully committed to transparency, accountability, and the fair enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws.”
The statement comes as prosecutors said in a court filing that “newly discovered evidence in this matter is materially inconsistent with the allegations in the Complaint Affidavit.” The case was dismissed with prejudice.
DHS initially said a man, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, attacked an officer with a “shovel or a broom stick” in an effort to “evade arrest and obstruct law enforcement.” Lawyers for another man involved in the matter, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, said videos did not support the authorities’ claims.
The FBI later said that Aljorna, not Sosa-Celis, attempted to flee the scene, reports indicated.
Sosa-Celis’ attorney, Robin Wolpert, said in a statement obtained by CBS News, “I am glad to see that ICE and the DOJ are publicly acknowledging and investigating untruthful statements by the two ICE officers.”
