Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, seeking to compel the extradition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Christian Castro, who faces charges in Minnesota for allegedly shooting a man and then lying to justify the incident.
The lawsuit, announced on Tuesday, asks a federal judge to prevent Cameron County Sheriff from releasing Castro and to order Abbott to sign the extradition warrant, allowing Minnesota officers to take custody. Castro was arrested in Texas in May, 11 days after being charged with four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of falsely reporting a crime, in connection with the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis on 14 January.
Charges and Allegations
Castro, 52, is accused of firing through the front door of a Minneapolis home, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. Prosecutors allege Castro then falsely claimed Sosa-Celis and another man attacked an ICE officer with a broom and a snow shovel before he fired his service weapon. The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal crackdown in Minneapolis that drew national attention.
Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty have sent letters to Abbott urging extradition, but Castro remains in Texas. Last week, Ellison warned he would sue if Abbott did not authorize extradition by Monday's end of day. Ellison told a news conference that unless Castro is extradited, he could be released from jail next week under Texas law, 90 days after his detention, posing a flight risk.
Legal and Political Implications
Ellison said Castro could flee to Mexico from the border town where he is held, noting Castro has called a woman in Mexico about marrying her and buying a house there upon release. “Christian Castro has been charged with breaking the law in Minnesota. He must face justice in Minnesota. Governor Abbott should have granted Governor Walz's extradition request long ago and is required to do so now,” Ellison said.
Moriarty noted that Texas has extradited three unrelated defendants to Minnesota since Castro's arrest. Ellison said, “Governor Abbott has received communication with us on an ongoing basis, including recently. We have to take the position that they are refusing to honor the extradition request.” An Abbott spokesperson declined to comment on pending extradition matters.
Background and Wider Context
The shooting of Sosa-Celis occurred after Castro and another officer chased Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna following a traffic stop. Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, both Venezuelan and legally in the US, were initially accused by federal authorities of beating an officer, but a federal judge dismissed the charges. ICE and the US Department of Justice opened an investigation into whether agents lied under oath.
The incident was one of three January shootings during Operation Metro Surge. The other two resulted in the deaths of US citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, sparking public protests over ICE's conduct. The lawsuit seeks to ensure Castro faces justice in Minnesota, with the outcome potentially affecting extradition procedures and accountability for federal agents.
