An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of shooting a man and then lying about the incident during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis has been released from a Texas jail. Christian Castro was released Thursday from a detention center in Brownsville after a U.S. District Judge declined to order his extradition to Minnesota.
Castro is charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime in connection with a Jan. 14 shooting. Prosecutors allege that Castro fired a gun through the front door of a Minneapolis home, striking 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. Authorities also claim Castro falsely accused Sosa-Celis and another man of attacking him with a broom handle and a snow shovel.
A nationwide arrest warrant for Castro was issued in May, and he was arrested by authorities in Cameron County, Texas, on May 29. Minnesota officials have sought his extradition since his arrest.
However, under Texas law, Castro was eligible for release after 90 days of detention if extradition was not finalized. Minnesota authorities had expressed concerns that Castro might flee to Mexico, citing calls he made from jail discussing marrying someone there and buying property.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had requested a temporary restraining order to block Castro's release or compel his return. Texas attorneys argued that a federal judge could not rule on the matter as it was not yet ripe for adjudication, as Governor Greg Abbott had not yet made a decision on the extradition warrant. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. agreed, stating that the court lacked jurisdiction because a violation had not yet occurred and that extradition laws do not specify a timeframe for the governor's decision.
Abbott's press secretary indicated that the governor was carefully considering the extradition request and awaiting the outcome of an internal state investigation into whether Castro was a "fugitive" under the Extradition Clause. Ellison stated that his office would continue to pursue legal action.
Castro was released from the Carrizalez-Rucker Cameron County Detention Center at dawn and was seen leaving in an SUV shortly after his release. He faces charges that could lead to significant prison time if convicted.