Texas Governor Abbott challenges Minnesota's attempt to extradite ICE officer

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has asked a federal judge to reject a legal effort by Minnesota to force the extradition of Christian Castro, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer currently held in a Cameron County jail.

Castro faces charges in Minnesota, including second-degree assault and falsely reporting a crime, stemming from an incident in January where he allegedly shot a Venezuelan man during an immigration enforcement operation. Minnesota officials are seeking a court order to keep Castro in custody beyond the 90-day limit for individuals awaiting extradition in Texas.

Abbott’s legal argument contends that Castro may not qualify as a fugitive under the Constitution because he did not flee Minnesota, but was instead reassigned to Texas by ICE. The Governor’s office stated it is investigating whether the officer’s movement across state lines was a volitional act of fleeing or an involuntary professional reassignment. A hearing regarding the extradition request is scheduled to take place in Brownsville.