Border Patrol Commander Bovino, some agents leaving Minnesota 'imminently'
Who is Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino?
Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino has been spotted in the Twin Cities as thousands of federal immigration agents descend on Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and some Border Patrol agents are expected to leave Minnesota imminently.
Bovino, some agents leaving Minnesota
What we know:
According to Bill Melugin with FOX News, multiple federal sources have confirmed Bovino and some, not all Border Patrol agents, will be leaving Minnesota imminently.
The report comes just days after 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent during a federal immigration operation near 26th and Nicollet. The incident sparked outrage in the city, leading to a weekend of rallies and protests.
Pretti’s shooting is the third incident involving a federal agent since Operation Metro Surge launched in Minnesota. Renee Good was fatally shot on Jan. 7 during an immigration operation, and a man was shot a week later in north Minneapolis after an ICE agent was reportedly being attacked by a group of men.
Minneapolis shooting: DHS claims, witness videos tell different stories
Alex Pretti, 37 of Minneapolis, was fatally shot Saturday morning by a Border Patrol agent after an immigration enforcement operation turned violent. DHS officials say their agents feared for their lives as Pretti was legally carrying a gun. Witness videos from the scene don't give a clear angle that federal agents were in danger. FOX 9's Tim Blotz has more.
What about ICE agents?
What we don't know:
It’s not clear if Monday’s report involves any ICE agents. It’s also not clear how many Border Patrol agents will be leaving.
Operation Metro Surge has more than 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota for immigration enforcement. About 2,000 of those are Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, and about 1,000 are Customs and Border Patrol officers.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reacts
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed on social media that some Border Patrol agents are leaving Minneapolis on Tuesday. Frey says he spoke with President Trump Monday afternoon.
What they're saying:
"I spoke with President Trump this afternoon and appreciated the conversation. I expressed how much Minneapolis has benefited from our immigrant communities and was clear that my main ask is that Operation Metro Surge needs to end. The president agreed that the present situation cannot continue.
Some federal agents will begin leaving the area tomorrow, and I will continue pushing for the rest involved in this operation to go.
Minneapolis will continue to cooperate with state and federal law enforcement on real criminal investigations — but we will not participate in unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors or enforce federal immigration law. Violent criminals should be held accountable based on the crimes they commit, not based on where they are from.
I will continue working with all levels of government to keep our communities safe, keep crime down, and put Minneapolis residents first.
I plan to meet with Border Czar Tom Homan tomorrow to further discuss next steps."
Who is Greg Bovino?
Timeline:
A North Carolina native, he joined the Border Patrol in 1996 and is nearing the agency’s mandatory retirement age of 57.
Under the Biden administration, he was relieved of command of the agency’s El Centro, California, sector, where he rose to be one of 20 regional chiefs across the country. The details weren’t reported, but The Associated Press says it involved an online profile picture of him posing with an M4 assault rifle; social media posts that were considered inappropriate; and sworn congressional testimony that he and other sector chiefs gave on the state of the border during a record surge of migrants.
Since then, under Trump’s second administration, Bovino has risen to prominence as the president launched his aggressive immigration crackdowns across the country.
Bovino led the immigration operation in Los Angeles over the summer, which resulted in thousands of arrests. Agents smashed car windows, blew open a door to a house and patrolled MacArthur Park on horseback. Bovino went on to lead campaigns in Chicago – where tense encounters and use of tear gas were in legal limbo – Charlotte, and New Orleans.
Dig deeper:
The FOX 9 Investigators reviewed hours of depositions, body camera footage and court filings which involve Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino’s conduct and leadership during Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago last fall.
As part of a civil lawsuit filed against DHS, Bovino was questioned under oath during which Judge Sara Ellis described him as "not credible."
"Bovino appeared evasive over the three days of his deposition, either providing ‘cute’ responses… or outright lying," Judge Ellis said in her written ruling in November.
DHS did not respond to requests for an interview or questions about Bovino.