US judge declines Minnesota’s effort to force Texas to extradite ICE agent

What the report says

A US federal judge has rejected Minnesota’s attempt to force Texas to extradite Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Christian Castro, who is facing criminal charges in Hennepin County, Minnesota, over a January 2026 immigration raid in Minneapolis. According to Al Jazeera, Castro has been held in a county jail in Texas since May while Minnesota seeks to bring him back to answer charges of assault and falsely reporting a crime.

The case centers on prosecutors’ allegation that Castro shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg after firing through the front door of a Minneapolis home. Prosecutors also say Castro and another agent later accused Sosa-Celis and another man of attacking federal officers with tools, claims that were later undermined by video evidence and led to the criminal case against Sosa-Celis being dropped. ICE’s then-acting director later said the agents appeared to have made untruthful statements, and Castro was placed on administrative leave.

Minnesota argued that Texas Governor Greg Abbott had delayed signing the extradition paperwork for political reasons. But Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. said he could not intervene because Abbott had not yet formally refused the request. The deadline for Castro’s detention in Texas was reported to be expiring on Thursday under state law.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown and the federal Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, which drew protests and civil liberties concerns. Separately, Minnesota officials said Castro might try to flee if released, pointing to jail calls he allegedly made to a woman in Mexico.