Ex-ICE agent charged over shooting is freed by Texas authorities

Former ICE Agent Released After Extradition Deadline Passes

A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent charged with shooting a Venezuelan man during an immigration raid in Minnesota was released from a Texas jail on Thursday after state authorities missed an extradition deadline. Christian Castro had been held in Texas since May on charges related to the nonfatal shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in January.

Castro was freed from the Carrizales-Rucker Cameron County Detention Center near Brownsville, Texas, after a 90-day extradition deadline expired. Under Texas law, a suspect held on an extradition order must either be transferred or released within that timeframe. Minnesota officials had sought his extradition following his arrest in May on a nationwide warrant.

The shooting occurred on January 14 during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Prosecutors allege Castro fired through the front door of Sosa-Celis’ home, striking him in the leg, and later falsely claimed that Sosa-Celis and another man had assaulted an ICE officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel. The raid was part of a broader deportation effort under former President Donald Trump.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican and Trump ally, refused to sign the extradition warrant, citing an ongoing state investigation into whether Castro qualified as a "fugitive" under the Extradition Clause. Abbott also referenced separate investigations into alleged fraud in Minnesota’s social service programs, which Trump had previously cited to justify immigration enforcement in the state.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit last week seeking to compel Abbott to approve the extradition. Ellison argued that Abbott’s refusal unlawfully interfered with federal extradition processes to support Trump’s deportation policies. He indicated that legal action would continue but did not specify further steps.

In a ruling on Wednesday, District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. stated he lacked authority to prevent Castro’s release, as Texas law required his discharge after the 90-day period. The judge acknowledged concerns that Castro might flee the country but said the risk alone did not justify intervention.

Minnesota officials have warned that Castro may attempt to leave the U.S. if released. Court documents cite jailhouse calls in which Castro discussed plans to marry a woman in Mexico and purchase property there. The state included these details in its lawsuit against Abbott.

The January raid was part of a larger federal operation in Minnesota that began in December under the Trump administration. The deployment drew protests and accusations of civil rights violations, with two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents during the operation. The effort concluded in less than three months.

Castro’s release does not resolve the criminal charges against him in Minnesota. Legal proceedings in the case remain ongoing.