Minnesota is taking Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) to court, arguing he has refused to do something the state says he is legally required to do: send an ICE agent accused of a shooting back to Minnesota to face criminal charges.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) filed a lawsuit seeking to force Gov. Abbott to extradite Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Christian Castro, who has been held in Texas since his arrest in May.
Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime over a January 14 shooting during Operation Metro Surge. Minnesota prosecutors allege Castro fired through the front door of an occupied Minneapolis home, striking Julio Cesar Sosa-Ceilis in the leg. The bullet ultimately hit a child's bedroom wall.
Prosecutors also accuse Castro of falsely reporting what happened. A Hennepin County judge found probable cause supporting the charges, though Castro remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Now, Minnesota officials say Abbott's refusal to approve the extradition is putting the prosecution at risk.
"Governor Abbott is required by law to sign the Governor's Warrant," Said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
Castro was arrested by Texas Rangers on May 29 after Minnesota issued a nationwide warrant. He has remained in the Cameron County jail while Minnesota waits for Texas to complete the extradition process.
The timing has become increasingly urgent as Texas law limits how long a fugitive can remain in custody while extradition is pending, raising concerns that Castro could eventually be released.
Ellison is asking a federal court to compel Abbott to sign the extradition warrant and prevent Castro from being released until Minnesota authorities can take custody of him.
The lawsuit adds another layer to an already contentious fight over Operation Metro Surge, while placing Abbott at the center of a dispute over whether Texas can delay an interstate extradition requested by another state.
