At a federal hearing in Brownsville, Texas, Minnesota prosecutors argued against releasing ICE agent Christian Castro, fearing he might flee. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Castro is charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime after he fired through the front door of a Minneapolis home on Jan. 14, wounding 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. The bullet lodged in a child's bedroom wall.
Texas law requires his release after 90 days of detention, which falls on Thursday. Minnesota's governor and attorney general filed a lawsuit asking a judge to compel Texas to return Castro and to keep the Cameron County sheriff from releasing him until extradition.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. said he would issue an order on the temporary restraining order on Wednesday. He said he was inclined not to prevent Castro's release but noted that ripeness is a significant issue.
Attorneys for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the governor has not yet officially decided on Minnesota's extradition request, making the lawsuit premature. Abbott ordered an internal investigation to determine if Castro is legally a "fugitive."
Kimberly Ann Svendsen, an attorney for the Minnesota attorney general, told the judge, "There's nothing legally left for them to investigate." Abbott said last week he would not respond to the extradition request, citing ongoing investigations of fraud in Minnesota's social service programs.