Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday, requesting that a federal judge compel Abbott to sign an extradition warrant for ICE agent Christian Castro. Castro faces Minnesota charges of assault and falsely reporting a crime related to the January 14 wounding of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. According to prosecutors, Castro fired through a door, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg, then accused him and another man of attacking an officer with a broom handle and snow shovel.
Castro was arrested in Texas in May and is being held in Cameron County. Ellison expressed concern that under Texas law, Castro could be released as early as late August, approximately 90 days after his detention. Ellison’s office noted that Castro has made calls from jail discussing plans to marry someone in Mexico and purchase property there, raising concerns he could flee across the nearby border. The lawsuit cites a 1987 Supreme Court ruling establishing that state governors must comply with extradition requests as a constitutional mandate.
Abbott stated Tuesday he has no immediate intention to respond to Minnesota’s extradition request, citing ongoing federal investigations into fraud in Minnesota social service programs. The governor tied his position to alleged irregularities that the Trump administration cited as justification for its immigration enforcement actions in the state. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty called the lawsuit “completely unnecessary,” stating that Texas jail officials and prosecutors have been cooperative and that extradition should not be controversial.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has characterized Moriarty’s prosecution of Castro as “unlawful” and a “political stunt,” asserting that only federal authorities have jurisdiction over federal agents’ on-duty conduct. Legal experts noted that Ellison’s argument rests on established constitutional principles, with one law professor observing that Abbott’s rationale for refusing extradition strengthens Minnesota’s legal position. Castro’s legal representation status remained unclear as of the reporting date.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI