Immigrant Claims Unprovoked Beating by ICE Agents in Minnesota

Sat Feb 07 2026 11:34:56 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Alberto Castañeda Mondragón, a 31-year-old immigrant from Mexico, has alleged that he was brutally beaten by ICE agents during his arrest in St. Paul, Minnesota, leaving him with serious injuries. His story raises concerns about the treatment of detainees and accountability among immigration enforcement officers.

After being arrested by ICE agents in January, Alberto Castañeda Mondragón claims he endured a violent assault that led to severe head injuries, including eight skull fractures. In the aftermath, calls for accountability have emerged from local officials and concerns about ICE's use of force policies have come to the forefront.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Alberto Castañeda Mondragón's memory was jumbled after he says he was badly beaten last month while being taken into custody by immigration officers. He recalls the assault vividly, detailing how ICE agents yanked him from a friend's car, threw him to the ground, and struck him with a baton.

After being arrested on January 8 in Minnesota, Castañeda Mondragón was hospitalized with multiple skull fractures and brain hemorrhages, injuries he alleges occurred during his arrest and subsequent detainment. Despite lacking a criminal record, he is one of many who have suffered significant harm at the hands of immigration officials.

ICE's narrative of the incident claimed he 'ran headfirst into a brick wall,' a version of events that medical staff doubted, confirming his injuries were not consistent with such a fall. Instead, they believed he was struck by law enforcement.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of immigration detainees and the accountability of ICE officers, especially as calls for investigations into use of force incidents continue to grow.

Local officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have raised concerns about the unfolding situation, but the Department of Homeland Security has declined to comment on the specifics of the case or on whether body camera footage exists that could clarify events.