Minnesota Lawyer Basic Keith Ellison has filed a federal lawsuit towards Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to compel the extradition of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged with assault over a nonfatal taking pictures and alleged false reporting throughout Operation Metro Surge.
The ICE agent, Christian Castro, is accused of firing a gun on the entrance door of an occupied dwelling in Minneapolis on Jan. 14, hanging a Venezuelan man within the leg, then mendacity concerning the circumstances of the taking pictures, in accordance with prosecutors.
Castro was charged in Might with 4 counts of second-degree assault and one depend of falsely reporting against the law. A Hennepin County District Courtroom decide discovered possible trigger for the fees and issued a nationwide warrant for Castro’s arrest, in accordance with Ellison’s workplace.
On Might 29, Texas Rangers situated and arrested Castro, after which a Cameron County decide ordered him detained pending extradition proceedings, in accordance with Ellison’s workplace.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in Dallas, March 27, 2026 and Minnesota Lawyer Basic Keith Ellison, March 4, 2026, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
AP
4 days after Castro’s arrest, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz despatched Abbott an extradition request, however, in accordance with Ellison’s workplace, the Texas governor has “withheld a rendition warrant” directing regulation enforcement to switch Castro again to Minnesota for prosecution.
“Now, Governor Abbott is attempting to defend Castro from being held accountable for these severe expenses by refusing to extradite him to Minnesota,” Ellison mentioned in an announcement on Tuesday. “Abbott’s refusal to extradite Castro is unconstitutional and violates federal regulation and Texas regulation. I can’t stand for that, so I am taking Abbott to courtroom. Christian Castro will stand trial in Minnesota.”
ABC Information reached out to the Texas governor’s workplace for touch upon the Minnesota lawsuit however has not but obtained a response.
The lawsuit additionally alleges that Manuel Trevino — the sheriff of Cameron County, Texas, who is called as a defendant within the federal grievance — has did not make Castro obtainable for extradition.
Ellison’s workplace mentioned the lawyer basic may also be requesting a short lived restraining order “barring the Cameron County Sheriff’s Workplace from releasing Castro.”
The Cameron County sheriff declined to touch upon the lawsuit.
