Federal Judge Denies Extradition of ICE Officer from Texas to Minnesota

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request for Texas to extradite an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer charged with shooting a man and providing false information during an immigration operation in Minneapolis. Christian Castro faces charges in Minnesota for assault and falsely reporting a crime related to the January 14 shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Minnesota authorities have sought his extradition since his arrest, but he remains in custody in Brownsville, Texas, which is adjacent to Mexico. Under Texas law, Castro must be released after 90 days of detention unless extradited, which is set to occur on Thursday. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a request for a temporary restraining order last week to prevent the sheriff in Cameron County, Texas, from releasing Castro and to compel Texas Governor Greg Abbott to sign his extradition warrant. Minnesota officials expressed concerns that Castro might flee the country, referencing phone calls he made from jail to a woman in Mexico discussing plans to marry and purchase a home there upon his release. Castro is accused of shooting through the front door of a Minneapolis residence, injuring Sosa-Celis in the leg. Prosecutors allege that Castro falsely claimed Sosa-Celis and another individual attacked an ICE officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel. During a federal hearing in Brownsville on Tuesday, attorneys from the Minnesota Attorney General's Office argued that it would be challenging to ensure Castro faces charges in Minnesota if he is released, given the potential for him to flee. Governor Abbott stated last week that he would not act on the extradition request, citing an ongoing investigation into fraud in Minnesota's government social service programs, which was referenced by President Donald Trump to justify the immigration crackdown in the state.