An immigrant in the United States says a violent arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers left him with eight skull fractures. He also suffered severe brain injuries and lasting memory loss. Alberto Castañeda Mondragón is 31 years old and from Mexico. He says the beating was unprovoked.
The physical pain has slowly eased. The fear and confusion remain. He says he has lost memories of his daughter and of his life before the arrest.
Violent Arrest Outside Minnesota Shopping Center
Castañeda Mondragón says the incident happened on January 8 outside a shopping center in St. Paul, Minnesota. While running errands, he was sitting in a friend’s car when ICE agents suddenly surrounded the vehicle. According to him, officers broke the windows and pulled him out without giving any explanation. Moments later, he recalls being thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and beaten almost immediately.
According to him, officers punched him repeatedly and struck his head with a metal baton. The attack happened so quickly that he says he could not understand what was happening. He insists he did not resist arrest or threaten the officers in any way.
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After the beating in the parking lot, he says officers dragged him into an SUV and took him to an ICE detention facility at Fort Snelling near Minneapolis. He alleges the violence continued there, even after he begged them to stop.
Medical records show he was taken to an emergency room about four hours later with swelling, bruising, and bleeding around his eye. His condition worsened, and he was transferred to Hennepin County Medical Center. Doctors found eight skull fractures and five brain hemorrhages, injuries described as life-threatening.
ICE officers later claimed he injured himself by running into a wall, but doctors questioned that explanation.
Medical Evidence and Video Raise Questions
A short video shared online shows moments after Castañeda Mondragón’s arrest. In the clip, four masked officers escort him handcuffed through a parking lot. He appears unsteady and struggles to walk. Bystanders can be heard warning him not to resist and saying officers had already given him a concussion. The video does not show the beating but supports claims he was injured during the arrest.
Hospital staff said ICE officers stayed with him throughout his hospital stay. Court records and nurses speaking anonymously said at least one officer told staff he had “got his head rocked.” Medical experts said his injuries were not consistent with running into a wall.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment or confirm whether body-camera footage exists. Court records later showed he entered the U.S. legally in March 2022 on a temporary work visa. A federal judge later ruled his arrest unlawful and ordered his release.
Life-Altering Injuries and Growing Calls for Accountability
The brain injuries have deeply affected Castañeda Mondragón’s daily life. When he first became aware in the hospital, he says he could not remember that he had a daughter. His 10-year-old child in Mexico had to reintroduce herself during phone calls. She reminded him of moments he no longer remembers, including birthdays and the night he taught her how to dance.
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He continues to struggle physically. Balance and coordination problems affect his daily life, and he needs help with basic tasks such as bathing. Because his work depends on strength and stability, he says he can no longer earn a living as a roofer or driver without health insurance, ongoing medical care remains a serious concern. Friends, coworkers, and community members in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area are helping him with food, housing, and medical expenses through donations.
The case has drawn attention from Minnesota officials. Several elected leaders, including members of Congress and the mayor of St. Paul, have called for an investigation. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has urged him to file a police report, which he says he plans to do. Governor Tim Walz has criticized aggressive federal immigration enforcement and called for accountability.
Castañeda Mondragón says he now lives in constant fear. He is afraid to leave his apartment and suffers from nightmares about the arrest.
