Minnesota sues Texas over ICE agent extradition
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Minnesota sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over a nearly three-month delay in extraditing ICE agent Christian Castro. The delay could soon make Castro eligible for release from jail.
Background
Christian Castro, a federal ICE agent, is accused of shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge in January and later lying about it. He was charged in Hennepin County in May with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Minnesota argues that extradition between the two states is routine, with 11 extraditions from Texas in the last five years averaging 30 days, making the delay unusual.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2026Christian Castro allegedly shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in north Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge.
- May 2026Castro was charged in Hennepin County with four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
- Aug 18, 2026Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to force Castro's extradition, warning the delay could soon make him eligible for release from jail.
Who’s saying what
- Minnesota
- Minnesota officials argue the delay is unusual and unjustified, as extraditions between the states are routine and typically completed within 30 days.
- Texas Democrats
- Last week, several Texas Democrats demanded that Abbott extradite Castro to Minnesota.
Still unverified
The specific reasons for Abbott's delay are not detailed in the material; the lawsuit claims it is unusual but does not provide Abbott's justification.