Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of transforming the Lone Star State into a "sanctuary state for violent criminals" amid a contentious extradition dispute. The conflict arises over ICE agent Christian Castro, who faces felony assault charges in Minnesota in connection with a January shooting in Minneapolis.
Castro was released from a South Texas jail on Thursday after a federal judge denied Minnesota's emergency request to detain him further and compel Governor Abbott to issue an extradition warrant. Texas law generally permits pre-extradition detention for a maximum of 90 days, and Abbott has yet to decide on Minnesota's request.
"This is not politics — this is not a game," Ellison stated following Castro's release. "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."
Governor Abbott responded on X, formerly Twitter, criticizing Minnesota's legal approach and accusing Ellison's state of being the "literal definition of a sanctuary state because you refuse to assist in enforcing immigration laws." He added, "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."
Castro is accused of firing through the front door of an occupied Minneapolis home during an ICE operation in January, striking Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. He faces four felony counts of second-degree assault and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime. Castro maintains he acted in self-defense.
The charges were filed by the Hennepin County Attorney's office after an investigation by Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. While the Trump administration initially characterized the incident as an attack on an ICE officer, the agency later placed Castro and another agent on administrative leave, citing concerns about potentially "untruthful statements" regarding the events.
Minnesota prosecutors argue that surveillance video and other evidence contradict Castro's account of being attacked with a broom and snow shovel. Federal assault charges initially brought against Sosa-Celis and another individual were subsequently dismissed by prosecutors who cited new evidence that was "materially inconsistent" with the original allegations.
Governor Abbott's office stated that Texas is reviewing whether Castro qualifies as a fugitive subject to extradition, noting that the agent returned to Texas under federal orders rather than fleeing voluntarily. The governor's office criticized Minnesota's attempt to impose a deadline on Abbott's review. Abbott has previously signaled a firm stance against sanctuary city policies, with his administration estimating such policies could cost Houston $110 million.