It seems increasingly unlikely that a drug lord arrested earlier this month in Mexico will be quickly extradited to the United States.

Mexico cannot yet begin the process of turning arrested drug kingpin Rafael Caro Quintero over to U.S. officials after he successfully petitioned for his extradition to be put on hold.

A federal judge this week admitted a new petition for protection filed by Caro Quintero’s lawyer. It follows a previous injunction filed just days after Caro Quintero’s arrest, essentially blocking him from being extradited without going through formal proceedings.

Caro Quintero is wanted in the U.S on charges related to the 1985 kidnapping and murder of a DEA agent. On Monday, the U.S. unsealed a detention order against Caro Quintero for his role in the killing.