ICE agent Christian Castro walks free after Texas judge blocks Minnesota's bid to force his extradition

Christian Castro, the ICE officer charged with shooting Venezuelan migrant Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg during a Minneapolis immigration raid in January, was released from Cameron County Jail at 6:59 a.m. Thursday after a federal judge refused to compel Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to sign his extradition warrant. Minnesota had raced to court warning Castro was a serious flight risk, citing jailhouse phone calls in which he discussed marrying a woman in Mexico and buying property there — with Cameron County sitting directly on the US-Mexico border. Texas law barred holding Castro beyond 90 days without extradition being finalised, forcing his release once the judge ruled the case was not yet ripe for adjudication.

Castro had been charged with four counts of second-degree assault and falsifying a crime report after surveillance footage showed his claim of being attacked with a broom and shovel was contradicted by the evidence.

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison accused Abbott of turning Texas into 'a sanctuary state for violent criminals' — Abbott fired back on X: 'You guys are such bad lawyers.'

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty warned the next steps become 'much more complicated' if Castro flees the country before extradition is resolved.