Prosecutors in the state and federal cases allege that Castro, 52, shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a 24-year-old Venezuelan man, in the leg while firing through the front door of a Minneapolis home. They say Castro then falsely told investigators he had been attacked with a broom handle and a snow shovel before using his gun.
The federal charge concerns Castro's account to investigators. His defense attorneys in that case have said he plans to plead not guilty. Attorney Daniel Gerdts declined to comment after Thursday's state court hearing.
Castro's return to Minnesota followed months of disputes over efforts to bring him from Texas to face the state charges. Minnesota prosecutors charged him in May, and authorities, including the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, arrested him in Cameron County, Texas, on May 29 after a Minnesota judge issued a nationwide warrant.
Texas law allowed Castro to be held for 90 days while Minnesota sought extradition. Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant last month, and Castro was subsequently released in Texas.
Federal prosecutors then brought a separate indictment, announced early this month. Castro surrendered to federal authorities and returned to Minnesota on his own. Friday's proceeding in U.S. District Court concerns that federal case, rather than the state's assault charges.
The prosecution has also exposed a jurisdictional dispute between Minnesota and President Donald Trump's administration. The Department of Homeland Security has characterized the state case as unlawful and politically motivated, arguing that only federal authorities have jurisdiction. Minnesota authorities have continued to pursue their charges.
The federal case is the Justice Department's first prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge. That immigration operation brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and prompted extensive protests and arrests. Federal officers also fatally shot two U.S. citizens during the operation.
The allegations against Castro remain before the courts. The state proceedings address the alleged assault, while the federal prosecution focuses on whether he gave investigators a false account of the shooting.