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Texas Governor Greg Abbott Refuses to Extradite ICE Agent Christian Castro to Minnesota for Shooting Incident

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has refused to extradite ICE agent Christian Castro to Minnesota to face charges for a nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man in January. Christian Castro was charged by Minnesota prosecutors with second-degree assault and falsely reporting a crime after allegedly shooting a man through an apartment door. While Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued to compel the extradition, Abbott argued that the governor is not obligated to return Castro, who remains in a Texas jail. Under Texas law, Castro could be released as soon as Wednesday if a federal judge does not intervene. The administration announced that federal prosecutors are considering charges against Christian Castro, which would mark a significant move for the administration, as it has historically resisted holding ICE officers accountable. The incident occurred during a period of intense immigration crackdowns in Minnesota, which were prompted by social-service fraud in the state. The administration's initial account of the shooting was later corrected after video evidence revealed that the agents' original statements were untruthful.

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