Minnesota authorities are still waiting for a Texas jail to release an ICE agent charged in a north Minneapolis shooting during Operation Metro Surge so he can return to face charges.

Minnesota authorities are still waiting for a Texas jail to release an ICE agent charged in a north Minneapolis shooting during Operation Metro Surge so he can return to face charges.

Christian Castro remains jailed in Texas one week later after facing a judge for the first time.

Last week, Gov. Tim Walz sent a formal request to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to return Castro to Minnesota.

Castro, 52, appeared before a Texas judge last week and remains in jail on a $200,000 bond. He is charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in the North Minneapolis shooting that injured Julio Sosa-Celis during Operation Metro Surge in January.

RELATED: Bond set at $200,000 for ICE agent charged in nonfatal shooting in Minneapolis

“They’re doing everything they need to do to extradite and take him back to Minnesota,” Castro’s attorney said.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially said Castro was assaulted, but video evidence and the charges say Castro lied about what happened.

DHS has also called the charges unlawful and a political stunt.

“Typically, extradition is almost a formality,” said Rachel Moran, professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Moran said one possible issue is whether a governor questions the legal basis for prosecution in another state.

“If one governor believes there is no basis for the state to even have the right to prosecute someone, they could put up a fight about extradition,” Moran said.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked Abbott about the status of the extradition, and his office replied, “The Office of the Governor will not comment on pending extradition matters”.

Moran said politics rarely get in the way, but could be a factor in this case.

“The federal government’s position has been that Minnesota doesn’t even have the right to prosecute this case, which is completely wrong. But that’s the position they’re maintaining to the extent you have a governor in Texas who might be just deferential to the administration,” Moran said.

For Related Stories: immigration Enforcement  Operation Metro Surge  Texas