An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer accused of firing into a Minneapolis home was released from a Texas jail Thursday under a state 90-day detention limit, after a federal judge declined to compel Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to extradite him to Minnesota, according to reporting by Andrew Rice at The Center Square.
Who was released and why
The Center Square reported that ICE officer Christian Castro had been held in Cameron County, Texas. He was arrested in May by the Texas Rangers after Minnesota prosecutors obtained a warrant charging him with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. He is accused of shooting into a Minneapolis home and striking a Venezuelan national in the leg in January.
Under Texas law, Castro had to be released after 90 days in detention. That deadline fell Thursday, per The Center Square.
Extradition fight hits a federal roadblock
Minnesota prosecutors sought Castro’s extradition, citing fears he would flee the country, The Center Square reported. Abbott has said he is waiting on the outcome of an internal state investigation before deciding on extradition.
U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. found no evidence that Abbott was acting in bad faith by waiting to review Castro’s case before determining extradition, according to The Center Square. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had sued Abbott to require him to sign the extradition order.
In dismissing Minnesota’s lawsuit, the judge wrote: “The Court concludes that it lacks subject matter jurisdiction because the case is not ripe for adjudication.” He added: “Minnesota cannot premise its causes of action on the allegation that Governor Abbott may violate those authorities in the future; it must prove that a violation has already occurred.”
What’s next
Extradition remains unresolved while Abbott awaits the outcome of the internal state review, per The Center Square. The charges against Castro are allegations; no conviction has been reported in the material provided.
