Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison Sues Texas Governor Greg Abbott to Force ICE Agent Extradition

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott to compel the extradition of federal agent Christian Castro. Castro faces charges for shooting and wounding a man during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis led by President Donald Trump.

In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison asserted that Texas Governor Greg Abbott has failed to fulfill his mandatory legal obligation to transfer Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Christian Castro to Minnesota for trial. Governor Abbott has allegedly withheld the necessary warrant and delayed the extradition process for nearly three months.

Furthermore, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has requested a US district court in southern Texas to prevent Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Trevino from releasing Christian Castro from jail. The case highlights broader national concerns regarding transparency and excessive use of force during President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign.

The incident occurred on January 14, involving the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man residing in Minnesota. According to officials, Christian Castro fired a weapon into the front door of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, striking him in the leg. Initial claims from the Trump administration defended the action as self-defence, with former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeling the event an attempted murder of an ICE agent after alleging that Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and two companions attacked officers with a broom and snow shovel.

However, video footage later contradicted the statements provided by the ICE agents. Consequently, federal prosecutors dropped all charges against Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and his housemate, Alfredo Aljorna, in February. Then-Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons confirmed that Christian Castro and a second ICE officer appeared to provide false testimony, leading to both officers being placed on administrative leave.

In May, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office formally charged Christian Castro with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty emphasized that holding a federal badge does not exempt individuals from state criminal charges. Christian Castro was subsequently arrested on May 29 in Texas and remains detained.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison voiced concerns that political allies of President Trump, including Governor Abbott, might release Christian Castro instead of sending him to face trial. Citing potential connections to Mexico, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison noted that Christian Castro is considered a flight risk. While the office of Governor Abbott declined to comment on pending extradition matters, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison warned that under Texas law, Christian Castro could be released as soon as next week if the extradition is not approved.

The shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis remains one of several controversial incidents involving deadly force during immigration proceedings in the Minneapolis area, which was the epicenter of Operation Metro Surge. This intensive enforcement campaign, lasting from December to February, drew widespread criticism for escalating tactics such as warrantless house searches and resulted in the deaths of two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretty, during subsequent protests.