An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer charged in connection with a shooting incident in Minnesota was released from a jail in Texas on Thursday after a judge declined to order his return to Minnesota. Christian Castro, who was held in a detention facility in Brownsville, was taken into custody in late May following a statewide arrest warrant issued by Minnesota authorities. His release came after 90 days in custody, the maximum period allowed under Texas law without formal extradition.
Castro faces state charges in Minnesota, including assault and falsely reporting a crime, stemming from a January 14 incident in Minneapolis. Prosecutors allege that Castro fired a gun through a front door, injuring 24-year-old Julio César Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant who was shot in the leg. The charges also accuse Castro of fabricating claims that Sosa-Celis and another individual attacked an ICE agent with a broomstick and a snow shovel during the immigration enforcement operation.
Minnesota authorities have sought Castro’s extradition following his arrest in Cameron County, Texas. However, the extradition request has not been acted upon by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has deferred his decision pending an internal state investigation into whether Castro qualifies as a “fugitive” under Texas law. Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr ruled on Wednesday that the federal court lacks jurisdiction to compel the governor’s action, stating that Minnesota had not yet demonstrated a breach of extradition laws by Texas officials. The ruling effectively prevented any court-ordered extradition and led to Castro’s release.
Texas officials, including the governor’s press secretary, defended the governor’s authority to consider extradition requests carefully before acting. Abbott’s office cited ongoing scrutiny of Castro’s eligibility for extradition amid broader political tensions between the Republican-led Texas administration and the Democratic governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison expressed concern that Castro might flee to Mexico, citing phone calls Castro made from jail discussing plans to marry and purchase property there. Despite these concerns, the judge noted that the potential risk of flight alone was insufficient for immediate federal intervention.
The case has highlighted unusual interstate tensions and political divisions surrounding the prosecution of a federal immigration agent on state criminal charges. Following the shooting, federal authorities maintained that Castro and fellow agents were attacked first, charging Sosa-Celis and his roommate with assaulting law enforcement officers. However, a subsequent federal investigation found evidence suggesting that agents may have misrepresented the circumstances, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the original federal charges.
Castro has not publicly commented on the allegations or the legal proceedings. Minnesota officials have indicated they will continue pursuing legal avenues to secure his return to face trial, but the next steps remain uncertain as Castro remains free in Texas.