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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, seeking to force the Republican governor to extradite an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent accused of shooting a man in Minneapolis and then falsely describing what led to the incident.

Christian Castro, an ICE agent who has been jailed in Cameron County, Texas, since May 29, is charged in Minnesota with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. The charges stem from a Jan. 14 shooting during Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s since-concluded immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota prosecutors allege that Castro fired through the front door of a Minneapolis residence, striking Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. The bullet ultimately became lodged in the wall of a child’s bedroom.

According to the criminal complaint, Castro subsequently told another officer that he had been attacked with a broomstick and snow shovel. Prosecutors contend that his account is contradicted by video footage, physical evidence and the testimony of four other witnesses.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sent a formal extradition request to Abbott on June 2, seeking Castro’s return to Minnesota to face the charges.

Ellison’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Texas, argues that Abbott does not have the authority to simply refuse the request. The complaint points to the Supreme Court’s 1987 decision in Puerto Rico v. Branstad, which held that the Constitution’s Extradition Clause creates a mandatory duty for the governor of a state where a fugitive is located.

“This is not a legally discretionary task,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said.

In addition to seeking an order compelling Abbott to approve Castro’s extradition, Ellison is asking the court to temporarily prohibit Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Trevino from releasing the ICE agent.

Under Texas law, Castro can remain jailed for as long as 90 days while awaiting extradition. Once that period expires, he could be released, with Aug. 26 looming as a possible release date.

Ellison said during a news conference that authorities consider Castro a flight risk, particularly because he is being held close to the Mexican border. The lawsuit alleges that Castro has spoken from jail with a woman in Mexico about marrying her and purchasing a home there following his release.

The standoff marks a sharp break from the way Texas and Minnesota have handled extradition requests between the two states in the recent past.

According to Ellison’s office, Abbott approved Minnesota’s previous 11 extradition requests in an average of approximately 30 days, while Walz approved 21 requests from Texas in fewer than five days. Moriarty also said Abbott has signed three unrelated Minnesota extradition requests since Castro was taken into custody.

Abbott’s office told CBS Minnesota that it would not comment on pending extradition matters.

Texas Democratic Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Vicente Gonzalez have also called on Abbott to approve Castro’s transfer to Minnesota.

The lawsuit names Trevino alongside Abbott as a defendant and asks the federal court to compel the governor to sign the extradition warrant. Minnesota is also seeking attorneys’ fees and other costs associated with the case. Ellison warned Abbott in an Aug. 13 letter that legal action would follow unless the warrant was signed by 5 p.m. Monday. Abbott did not sign it.

Mexico is objecting to the Trump administration’s reported practice of deporting some Mexican citizens to Guatemala and Honduras rather than returning them directly to Mexico, saying Tuesday that it has never entered into an agreement permitting such removals.

CBS News reported that the Trump administration has quietly been transporting Mexican deportees to the two Central American countries. The report cited two Department of Homeland Security officials who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

According to the officials, one purpose of the policy is to discourage illegal immigration from Mexico by placing some deported Mexican nationals significantly farther from the U.S.-Mexico border.

One DHS official said the practice has been underway for several months and that hundreds of Mexican citizens have been deported to Guatemala and Honduras. The exact number of people affected remains unclear.

“The Government of Mexico accepts the return of all its nationals. It therefore rejects the deportation of Mexican nationals to third countries and has no such agreement in place,” Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement to CBS News. “Mexico consistently takes the steps necessary to ensure the safe and dignified return of all its nationals to national territory.”

The Trump administration has substantially increased its use of third-country deportations, in which migrants are removed to nations other than their countries of citizenship. According to CBS News, the approach has generally been used when a migrant’s home country, including Cuba, refuses or restricts deportation flights, or when an individual has legal protections preventing removal to his or her country of origin.

Mexico presents a different situation because it has traditionally accepted its citizens who are deported from the United States. The country has also received migrants from other Latin American nations who were removed by U.S. authorities.

“This is almost entirely punitive,” Adam Isacson, a researcher at the Washington Office on Latin America who studies regional migration patterns, told CBS News.

Isacson said sending Mexican migrants to Guatemala or Honduras creates an additional obstacle for anyone considering another attempt to enter the United States illegally, while simultaneously serving as a warning to other migrants.

“It’s the same as the purpose of sending them to Ecuador or Africa or anywhere else: to broadcast the hardship, to make sure people know that this is a possible consequence of remaining undocumented in the United States, and to encourage people to self-deport,” he explained.

Asked by Newsmax about the reported practice, both DHS and the White House defended President Trump’s overall deportation campaign but did not specifically answer questions concerning Mexican citizens being transported to third countries.

“The Trump Administration is utilizing all lawful options to carry out the largest deportation operation in history, just as President [Donald] Trump promised,” a DHS spokesperson told Newsmax.

A White House official offered a similar defense, telling Newsmax, “The Trump Administration is using all the tools in our toolbox to carry out the largest, lawful deportation operation of criminal illegal aliens in history.”

Neither the White House nor DHS explained why Mexican nationals would be deported to Guatemala or Honduras instead of Mexico, responded directly to the Mexican government’s objections, or clarified what legal or diplomatic arrangements allow the third-country removals.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

GroupMe, owned by Microsoft, has announced that it is shutting down its free SMS messaging service, a feature that has been available since GroupMe launched in 2010. Users who rely on SMS will receive a notice and have seven days before they lose access, although their chats will remain available through the GroupMe app.

For many people, the solution is simple: download the app. But for many frum Jews, it isn’t.

GroupMe’s SMS option has become an important tool for family, neighborhood, school, shul and community chats. Many frum Jews do not have smartphones, and many kosher phones cannot receive MMS messages, which are generally required for standard group texting. GroupMe provided a unique solution by allowing people with basic phones to participate in the same groups through ordinary SMS.

Ending this service means that many people who have deliberately chosen not to own smartphones will suddenly be excluded from groups they have participated in for years.

A Change.org petition has been created asking Microsoft and GroupMe to reconsider and continue supporting SMS messaging. It can be found at the GroupMe SMS petition or through the shortened petition link.

Hopefully, if enough people make their voices heard, GroupMe will recognize that while SMS may seem outdated to some, for many frum families it remains an essential way to stay connected.

A Matzav Reader

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Dr. David Morens, a onetime senior adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci, pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to conspiring to evade federal transparency and records requirements by concealing communications involving COVID-19 research grants.

While working at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Morens deliberately conducted government-related business through a personal email account in an effort to avoid requirements under the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Records Act.

Federal prosecutors said Morens concealed or destroyed communications concerning COVID-19 research funding, including discussions surrounding an attempt to restore a controversial coronavirus research grant.

According to his guilty plea, Morens and two unnamed co-conspirators communicated in writing about keeping their exchanges beyond the reach of public disclosure. They used Morens’ personal Gmail account instead of his official National Institutes of Health email address, including when sharing information from NIH that was not publicly available.

The plea agreement also states that one of the co-conspirators rewarded Morens with wine for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans” and arranged to have the gift delivered to Morens’ home in Maryland.

Prosecutors said Morens subsequently discussed an official action he could take to “deserve” the gift. That action involved writing a scientific commentary for a prominent medical journal arguing that COVID-19 originated naturally.

According to the guilty plea, the same co-conspirator also suggested that Morens could receive additional benefits, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York and Washington, D.C.

The case has also drawn renewed attention to Fauci’s relationship with Morens. During a recent Senate hearing, Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned about his dealings with his onetime adviser.

Fauci had previously addressed Morens’ conduct during a House committee hearing in 2024, describing what Morens had done as “wrong” while maintaining that he had not been involved in those activities.

Morens could receive as much as five years behind bars. His sentencing is scheduled for November.

“Dr. Morens has taken responsibility for what he did and will continue to do so,” his defense attorney, Timothy Belevetz, said in a statement.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon is preparing for a dramatic expansion of its drone delivery network, with plans to bring the service to suburban communities across nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of the year, potentially giving millions of additional customers access to packages delivered through the air.

The company says eligible orders could arrive at customers’ homes in as little as 30 minutes.

Amazon’s delivery drones are capable of transporting packages weighing up to five pounds.

The ambitious rollout is expected to further escalate Amazon’s competition with Walmart as the two retail giants race to offer increasingly rapid delivery options.

Both companies are building delivery networks that combine traditional drivers with drones to move customers’ purchases to their homes as quickly as possible.

Under Amazon’s new plans, its drone operation would grow to more than six times its current nationwide footprint. The expansion will reach hundreds of additional communities, including areas around Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise.

Flights will largely be concentrated in suburban neighborhoods, avoiding dense downtown areas, skyscrapers and major airports that can complicate drone operations.

Amazon says its drones have already transported hundreds of thousands of packages this year. Even with the planned expansion, however, drones will account for only a small portion of the hundreds of millions of packages the company delivers annually.

The technology also faces significant practical limitations. Beyond the five-pound weight restriction, trees, landscaping, backyard obstacles and even inflatable swimming pools can make it difficult for drones to identify suitable locations to safely lower packages.

Amazon must also navigate regulatory requirements in each community where it intends to establish drone operations.

Another potential obstacle is noise, particularly as the number of flights increases in residential neighborhoods.

“It’s still an experiment. It’s still in test and learn mode,” said Sucharita Kodali, a retail analyst with Forrester.

Kodali said some customers may initially try drone delivery simply for the novelty of seeing a package arrive from the sky. Whether consumers will regularly choose the service remains uncertain, she said, while Amazon continues working to determine whether the economics of widespread drone delivery make sense.

Amazon Prime members placing orders worth more than $50 will be able to use drone delivery at no additional charge. Prime customers with smaller orders will pay $2.99 for the service.

Customers without Prime memberships will be charged $4.99 for a drone delivery.

By comparison, Prime members generally receive standard deliveries for free, while nonmembers pay a flat delivery charge on standard shipments below $35 and can pay as much as $12.99 for same-day delivery where that option is offered.

Kodali said the technology may ultimately prove particularly valuable for lightweight products that customers need quickly, such as prescription medications.

Amazon is far from alone in exploring the possibilities. DoorDash and other delivery companies are also testing drones as a way to transport food and other merchandise directly to consumers.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders in his annual letter in April that the company has gained substantial experience from operating drones at 11 locations spread across Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Texas.

At each site, drones depart from an Amazon warehouse and can serve an area of roughly 175 square miles. That means multiple launch facilities are necessary to provide drone coverage throughout a major metropolitan region.

“Prime Air now has a design that’ll scale plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes),” Jassy wrote.

At the same time, Amazon is continuing to pour resources into its conventional delivery infrastructure, including warehouses, smaller fulfillment facilities positioned closer to customers and its truck fleet, as it seeks to shrink delivery times from days to hours — or even minutes.

The company has already received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and has secured waivers permitting its drones to operate beyond the visual line of sight of their pilots.

Amazon has also invested heavily in collision-avoidance and other safety technologies intended to enable its drones to detect and steer clear of aircraft and other potential hazards while making deliveries.

The federal government has proposed broader regulations that would make it easier for drone operators to conduct flights beyond a pilot’s direct line of sight, potentially opening the door to even greater use of delivery drones. Those rules, however, have not yet been finalized.

{Matzav.com}

The Justice Department announced Tuesday that 17 people connected to an Iran-based hacking operation have been charged in an extensive cyber campaign that allegedly targeted American universities, businesses and government agencies, with some of the attacks carried out for the benefit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unsealed a 14-count superseding indictment against individuals affiliated with the Tehran-based Mabna Institute, accusing the group of orchestrating a years-long series of cyber intrusions.

According to the Justice Department, the Mabna Institute has been conducting coordinated hacking operations since at least 2013, penetrating computer networks belonging to 144 universities in the United States and another 178 universities abroad.

The alleged operation extended well beyond academia. Prosecutors said the hackers also targeted at least 42 American private-sector companies, 11 foreign companies, five U.S. federal and state government agencies and two nongovernmental organizations.

“Today’s charges, which include eight additional defendants, reveal the broader network allegedly behind a sweeping, state-sponsored campaign to steal research and intellectual property from American universities, businesses, and government institutions,” Jamie McDonald, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a news release.

“More than eight years after making the original indictment public, these charges make clear that the passage of time will not deter us from identifying and pursuing those who target the United States from abroad.

“Cyber operations have become a central instrument of national power, and attacks on American and allied institutions carry direct consequences for our security and economic strength.

“This office and our partners will continue to protect American innovation and pursue accountability for the individuals behind these attacks.”

Prosecutors said the hackers attempted to gain access to more than 100,000 professors’ accounts around the world. Approximately 8,000 email accounts belonging to professors at American and foreign universities were successfully compromised.

The operation allegedly resulted in the theft of approximately 31.5 terabytes of academic information and intellectual property. The stolen material included scholarly journals, theses, dissertations and electronic books.

Justice Department officials said members of the hacking group obtained stolen usernames and passwords and then used those credentials to enter university computer systems.

The stolen material was allegedly monetized through websites serving customers in Iran. One site sold academic documents, while another offered customers access to compromised professors’ accounts, enabling them to enter university library systems.

Federal prosecutors said at least part of the hacking campaign was undertaken to benefit the IRGC as well as other Iranian government and university clients.

Nine of the defendants had previously been charged under seal in a seven-count indictment filed in February 2018.

That original indictment was made public the following month.

The newly unsealed superseding indictment charges the defendants with varying combinations of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, computer fraud involving unauthorized access for private financial gain, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

A conviction on either the computer-intrusion conspiracy charge or computer-fraud charge can carry a maximum prison term of five years. Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and substantive wire fraud each carry potential maximum sentences of 20 years.

Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence.

The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is also offering rewards of as much as $10 million for information that helps authorities locate five of the defendants: Behzad Mesri, Mojtaba Galekuhi, Arman Kahzadian, Keyvan Fayaz and Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh.

{Matzav.com}