Texas Democrats Demand Gov. Abbott Act on Extradition of ICE Agent Charged in Minneapolis Shooting

WASHINGTON, D.C - Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) and Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34) led Texas Democrats in demanding that Texas Governor Greg Abbott authorize the extradition of Christian J. Castro, an ICE agent charged in connection with a January shooting during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Castro is accused of firing into a home, shooting Venezuelan immigrant Julio C. Sosa-Celis in the leg, and later lying about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Castro, 52, was arrested in South Texas on May 29, 2026, after a warrant was issued in Hennepin County. He remains in custody in Cameron County, Texas. Castro is charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.

"The Texas Rangers and the prosecuting authority in Cameron County have done their jobs and collaborated with the necessary Minnesota authorities," the lawmakers said in a letter to Abbott.

"The last step to begin the long-awaited court proceedings for the victims is for you to sign the paperwork. Mr. Castro has already been in custody for two months, and the paperwork, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, is in order. There is no reason to delay," the lawmakers wrote.

"When an ICE agent is charged with shooting into a home and lying about what happened, the answer cannot be delay or special treatment. We have watched this administration's out-of-control immigration enforcement turn deadly, while official accounts unravel as the facts come out," said Congresswoman Garcia. "We saw it in Minneapolis and Maine, and we are seeing it here in Houston as we demand the truth about ICE's killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Governor Abbott should sign the extradition paperwork and let the justice system do its job."

"Texans are firm believers in law and order, which is why accountability must be delivered in the case of Christian J. Castro. Governor Abbott has an immediate responsibility to uphold the extradition process and not interfere with our nation's justice system. We cannot normalize criminal actions, including those committed by rogue ICE agents under this Administration's hyperaggressive immigration policies," said Congressman Gonzalez.

The charges stem from a Jan. 14, 2026, immigration enforcement operation in north Minneapolis. Prosecutors allege Castro and other ICE agents pursued Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna to the home he shared with Sosa-Celis. After both men made it inside, Castro allegedly fired through the closed front door, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. The bullet traveled through the home and lodged in the wall of a child's bedroom.

DHS initially claimed the officer fired in self-defense after being attacked by the men. But surveillance video and other evidence contradicted key parts of that account.

The full letter can be viewed HERE.