Judge sides with Texas over Minnesota in extradition case involving ICE officer

Audio By Carbonatix

(The Center Square) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is not acting in bad faith by reviewing an extradition request from the state of Minnesota seeking to prosecute an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent accused of shooting into a Minnesota home, a federal judge ruled.

ICE officer Christian Castro is in custody in Cameron County, Texas. Castro was arrested in May by the Texas Rangers after Minnesota prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest on four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. He is accused of firing into a Minneapolis home, striking a Venezuelan national’s leg, The Center Square reported. 

U.S. District Court Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. said he found no evidence Abbott was acting in bad faith and was within his right to review the case to determine if Castro is eligible for extradition.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued Abbott last week, asking a federal judge to require Abbott to sign the extradition order. It also asks the judge to issue a temporary restraining order to require Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Trevino not to release Castro until he’s in custody in Minnesota.

Castro could be released as early as Thursday.

• Bethany Blankley contributed to this report.