Judge blocks Minnesota attempt to extradite ICE agent from Texas
Fox News correspondent Christina Coleman reported from Dallas after a federal judge blocked Minnesota’s effort to extradite ICE agent Christian Castro from Texas. Castro is facing charges tied to the January shooting of a Venezuelan migrant during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott reviews whether the officer legally meets the definition of a fugitive.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer pleaded not guilty Friday to accusations that he lied to investigators about the January shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis, an incident that unfolded amid the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration.
Christian Castro made his appearance in a Texas federal courtroom, where he is charged with six counts of making “materially false” statements, according to federal court records unsealed Friday. Authorities said Castro surrendered Thursday evening.
The judge allowed Castro to be released on a $75,000 unsecured bond and ordered him to wear an ankle monitor while the case proceeds.
Left: Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Christian Castro gets into a car surrounded by news reporters moments after being released from the Carrizalez-Rucker Cameron County Detention Center in Brownsville, Texas on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026; Right: Christian Castro. (Left: AP Photo/Michael Gonzalez; Right: Cameron County Sheriff’s Office)
The indictment centers on the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man who was wounded in the leg shortly after Castro and his partner tried to stop a vehicle.
The driver, who is also a Venezuelan citizen, ran from the scene, leading officers into a foot pursuit.
According to the indictment, Castro caught up with the driver and the two became involved in a physical struggle. Sosa-Celis then attempted to assist the driver before both men fled into a nearby apartment duplex and closed the door behind them.
Castro drew his service weapon and fired a single shot through the front door, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg, federal prosecutors said.
Two 1-year-old children and two women were inside the home when Castro opened fire, prosecutors added.
In an attempt to justify the shooting, Castro allegedly told investigators he was brutally assaulted by multiple individuals wielding tools, claiming he was hit with a broom and a snow shovel during the confrontation. He also claimed he was on his back when he fired toward the fleeing men, officials said.
FILE – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conduct immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2026. (Madison Thorn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
However, video evidence later contradicted those statements, prompting an investigation. Federal prosecutors said Castro was standing up when he opened fire, and they disputed his claim that he fought the suspect on the ground for three minutes, noting the struggle actually lasted about 11 seconds.
The shooting occurred amid a targeted crackdown on illegal immigration in Minneapolis.
Castro faces separate charges in Minnesota and was previously arrested in Texas in May.
His case has sparked a legal battle involving Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has refused to extradite him to Minnesota.
