A federal judge in Texas has denied Minnesota officials' emergency request to extradite an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Christian Castro, accused of shooting a man in Minneapolis. The judge, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., deemed Minnesota's lawsuit premature because Governor Greg Abbott has not officially denied the extradition request; instead, it remains under review.
The case involves accusations against Castro for shooting a Venezuelan man, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, in January and for allegedly lying about the incident. Minnesota authorities issued a warrant for Castro, who was arrested in Texas in late May. According to Texas law, suspects on out-of-state warrants must be released after 90 days if extradition paperwork is not completed, a deadline that has now passed.
In response, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit to compel Abbott to act on the extradition or to stop Castro's release. Ellison argued that the U.S. Constitution mandates governors to extradite fugitives. However, Texas attorneys countered that there is no federal deadline for extradition decisions, and Abbott has initiated a review to determine if Castro qualifies as a fugitive.
Judge Rodriguez highlighted that while Castro's potential flight could impede Minnesota's prosecution, it does not create a federal case without a constitutional violation. The ruling allows for Castro's release, with Abbott's representatives supporting the decision, while Ellison plans to continue seeking legal options to bring Castro to trial.
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