Mexican Immigrant Alleges Brutal Beating by ICE Agents in Minnesota

Alberto Castañeda Mondragón suffered severe head injuries that left him disoriented and unable to recall memories with his daughter.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Alberto Castañeda Mondragón, a 31-year-old Mexican immigrant, alleges he was brutally beaten by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during his arrest in Minnesota last month. Castañeda Mondragón suffered eight skull fractures and five life-threatening brain hemorrhages, which he says were caused by the agents punching him and striking his head with a steel baton. He was initially told by the agents that he had "purposefully ran headfirst into a brick wall," an account that his caregivers immediately doubted. Castañeda Mondragón is now facing a long recovery and an uncertain future, as the traumatic brain injuries have left him with memory problems, balance and coordination issues, and unable to work.

Why it matters

Castañeda Mondragón's case is one of the excessive-force claims against ICE that the federal government has so far declined to investigate. His injuries have sparked outrage and calls for accountability from elected officials in Minnesota, who say this is part of a pattern of cruelty and abuse by federal immigration agents in the state. The incident also comes amid growing tensions between ICE and the Minneapolis community following two recent fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by immigration officers.

The details

According to Castañeda Mondragón, the ICE agents pulled him from a friend's car on January 8th outside a St. Paul shopping center, threw him to the ground, handcuffed him, and then proceeded to punch him and strike his head with a steel baton. He says he was then dragged into an SUV and taken to a detention facility, where he was beaten again. A video posted online shows Castañeda Mondragón stumbling and unsteady as he is walked through a parking lot by the masked ICE agents after his arrest. Castañeda Mondragón has no criminal record, and was in the U.S. legally on a temporary work visa.

  • On January 8, Castañeda Mondragón was arrested by ICE agents outside a St. Paul shopping center.
  • On January 20, an ICE deportation officer filed a declaration stating that Castañeda Mondragón "had a head injury that required emergency medical treatment" during the intake process.
  • On January 27, Castañeda Mondragón was released from the hospital, despite the surprise of some of his caregivers.

The players

Alberto Castañeda Mondragón

A 31-year-old Mexican immigrant who was brutally beaten by ICE agents during his arrest in Minnesota, leaving him with severe head injuries.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for Castañeda Mondragón's arrest and alleged beating, which has faced growing tensions and accusations of cruelty and abuse in Minnesota.

Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC)

The hospital where Castañeda Mondragón was treated for his injuries, which has faced an internal inquiry after staff spoke to the media about the case.

Tim Walz

The governor of Minnesota, who has called for an end to the "aggressive, untrained agents of the federal government" that "continue to injure and terrorize Minnesotans."

Tina Smith

A Democratic U.S. senator from Minnesota who has accused the Trump administration of attempting to "lie and gaslight the American people" about the "cruelty of this ICE operation in Minnesota."

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What they’re saying

“The only time a person can be struck in the head with any baton is when the person presents the same threat that would permit the use of a firearm — a lethal threat to the officer or others.”

— Joe Key, Former Baltimore police lieutenant and use-of-force expert

“Law enforcement cannot be lawless. Thousands of aggressive, untrained agents of the federal government continue to injure and terrorize Minnesotans. This must end.”

— Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota (X)

“We are seeing a repeated pattern of Trump Administration officials attempting to lie and gaslight the American people when it comes to the cruelty of this ICE operation in Minnesota.”

— Tina Smith, U.S. Senator from Minnesota

What’s next

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office has urged Castañeda Mondragón to file a police report to prompt an investigation into his injuries. Castañeda Mondragón says he plans to file a complaint.

The takeaway

Castañeda Mondragón's case highlights the growing concerns about alleged excessive force and abuse by ICE agents in Minnesota, as well as the lasting impact such incidents can have on immigrant communities who live in fear of further encounters with federal immigration authorities.