Christian Castro, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged in connection with a non-fatal January shooting in Minneapolis, was released Thursday from a south Texas jail after a federal judge denied Minnesota's emergency request to keep him in custody and compel Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign the extradition warrant.
The case has spiraled into a public dispute between Abbott and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, with both officials trading sharp criticism over the handling of the extradition request. Texas law generally limits pre-extradition detention to 90 days, and Abbott has not yet decided whether to approve Minnesota's request, his office said.
Castro faces four felony counts of second-degree assault and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime filed by a Minnesota state court. He is accused of firing through the front door of an occupied north Minneapolis home during an ICE operation in January, striking Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. Castro has maintained that he acted in self-defense.
The Hennepin County Attorney's office filed the underlying charges following an investigation by Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Federal assault charges initially filed against Sosa-Celis and another man were later dismissed after prosecutors said new evidence was "materially inconsistent" with the original allegations. ICE placed Castro and another agent on administrative leave after its acting director said they appeared to have made "untruthful statements" about what happened.
Minnesota prosecutors say surveillance video and other evidence contradict Castro's account that he fired after being attacked with a broom and snow shovel.
What the Left Is Saying
Ellison accused Abbott of turning Texas into a "sanctuary state for violent criminals" by refusing to extradite Castro. "If a governor can delay extraditions and cherry-pick cases according to their political tastes, then no state will be able to hold fugitive criminals accountable," Ellison said in a statement after Castro's release.
Ellison wrote on X that by "refusing to extradite Castro, Greg Abbott is turning Texas into a sanctuary state for violent criminals." His office argued the case sets a dangerous precedent that could undermine the extradition system relied upon by all 50 states to return fugitives to face charges.
The Minnesota AG's office did not respond to requests for comment on whether it planned to pursue additional legal avenues to secure Castro's return to the state.
What the Right Is Saying
Abbott responded directly to Ellison on X, writing: "You guys are such bad lawyers. You showed up unprepared, uninformed & unpersuasive. You don't know the law & it showed."
The governor pushed back against the sanctuary state characterization by noting Minnesota's own immigration enforcement policies. "Minn. is the literal definition of a sanctuary state because you refuse to assist in enforcing immigration laws," Abbott wrote, adding: "I'll put Minneapolis at the top of the list for future bus drop offs if we ever have a President like Joe Biden again."
Abbott has said Texas is investigating whether Castro qualifies as a fugitive subject to extradition, noting that the agent returned to Texas on federal orders rather than voluntarily fleeing Minnesota. The governor's office praised the judge's ruling, accusing Minnesota of trying to force a deadline on Abbott's review.
Fox News Digital asked Abbott's office for clarification on how the governor planned to act on Minnesota's extradition request and for details on Texas' review of Castro's fugitive status but did not receive a response before publication.
What the Numbers Show
Under Texas law, pre-extradition detention is generally limited to 90 days. Castro had been held in a south Texas jail as Minnesota pursued its emergency custody request.
The federal judge denied Minnesota's emergency motion without issuing a detailed explanation for the ruling. The underlying state charges against Castro remain active and pending regardless of his current location.
Minnesota prosecutors have not disclosed whether they have set a trial date or requested a specific timeline for when they need Castro in custody to proceed with the case.
The Bottom Line
The dispute highlights tensions between states over immigration enforcement and the limits of gubernatorial authority in extradition proceedings. Legal experts say governors generally have discretion in signing extradition warrants, though refusing to do so without legal justification could face court challenges.
Abbott's office has not indicated a timeline for when it will make a final determination on Minnesota's extradition request. Minnesota officials have not announced whether they plan to pursue additional legal action to compel the transfer or challenge Texas' handling of the matter in federal court.
What happens next may depend on whether Minnesota seeks judicial intervention to force Abbott's hand, and how courts rule on questions about whether an official acting under federal orders can be considered a fugitive from justice.