A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, Christian Castro, faces charges in Minnesota for shooting a man through a house door and then lying about the incident. The victim, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, was wounded in the leg during the Jan. 14 incident. Despite efforts by Minnesota authorities to extradite Castro, he remains in custody in Brownsville, Texas, near the Mexican border.
Under Texas law, Castro is set to be released on Thursday after 90 days of detention. However, Minnesota’s governor and attorney general have filed a lawsuit to prevent his release and secure his return for prosecution in their state.
Prosecutors allege that Castro fired a gun at the front door of a Minneapolis home, injuring Sosa-Celis and falsely accusing him and another man of attacking an ICE officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel.
During a federal hearing in Brownsville, attorneys from Minnesota argued against Castro’s potential release, expressing concerns about his possible flight from justice.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez, Jr., indicated a reluctance to prevent Castro’s release but planned to issue a response to the restraining order on Wednesday.
The Texas Governor’s Office stated that Gov. Greg Abbott has not made a final decision on Minnesota’s extradition request, and they questioned the timing of the lawsuit. The attorneys representing Minnesota emphasized the urgency of the situation and the need for swift action.
Governor Abbott cited ongoing fraud investigations in Minnesota as a reason for not responding to the extradition request, citing concerns over the justification for the immigration crackdown.
