Minnesota's attorney general is suing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, accusing him of illegally protecting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent facing felony charges for shooting a Venezuelan immigrant through a duplex door — while quietly ignoring an extradition request that could let the agent walk free within weeks.
According to The New York Times, ICE agent Christian Castro has been jailed in South Texas since May, held on a Minneapolis arrest warrant charging him with four felony assault counts. Prosecutors say Castro fired through the front door of a Minneapolis duplex on January 14 following a high-speed chase, wounding Julio C. Sosa-Celis. ICE suspended Castro after determining he'd falsely claimed he opened fire only after being attacked with a broom and shovel — a story surveillance footage directly contradicted.
Despite that, Abbott has never responded to an extradition request from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Texas law caps how long Castro can be held without action — meaning he could be released before the month's end if Abbott keeps stalling.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison didn't mince words about the governor's motives, saying, "Governor Abbott is trying to shield Castro from being held accountable for these serious charges by refusing to extradite him to Minnesota."
Ellison and Minneapolis' elected county attorney, Mary Moriarty, say Abbott's office has told them directly this week that the governor has no intention of acting on the request — an unusual move, since Ellison notes Abbott has approved multiple other Minnesota extradition requests in recent weeks without issue. Moriarty warned Castro could flee to Mexico if released, citing what she described as unspecified ties the agent has to the country.
"We do believe he is a flight risk," Moriarty said.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Texas, asks a judge to force Abbott to sign the extradition order — or, failing that, to block Castro's release entirely until the dispute is resolved. Abbott's office declined to comment.
The Trump administration has refused to seriously investigate ICE agents involved in shootings; after the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security swiftly cleared Jonathan Ross, the officer who took the shot, instead posthumously investigating whether Good had any ties to terrorist groups.