A Senior Border Patrol Commander, Greg Bovino, Is Being Relieved of His Duties Amid Controversy Over Fatal Shootings Involving Immigration Agents in Minneapolis.
The move comes amid intense scrutiny following two fatal shootings involving immigration agents. In January, Renee Nicole Good, a protester, was shot dead by agents, while earlier in the month, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was also killed by Border Patrol agents. The incident drew widespread criticism and questions over Bovino's leadership.
Bovino, 51, who has been leading the federal immigration enforcement effort in Minneapolis since last summer, helped carry out an operation that led to over 5,000 arrests in Los Angeles. He has overseen similar actions in other Democratic-led cities including Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, and now Minneapolis.
The senior commander is known for his strong public profile, often sharing videos from operations and using social media to promote his agents and respond to critics. His style has made him highly visible and controversial. In Minneapolis, videos of Bovino walking down streets in a long, green military-style coat, shouting at protesters to move out of the way, have drawn comparisons to a "fascist" aesthetic.
Bovino's role is now being taken over by Tom Homan, the president's border czar. Homan has extensive experience in immigration enforcement and policy. He was appointed as Trump's border tsar earlier this year, and his appointment marks a shift in focus from southern to northern borders.
Critics accuse Bovino of ignoring local laws, as he walked down streets during Operation Metro Surge, while wearing body armor with an American flag pinned on it. His actions have drawn criticism from local officials and protesters who claim that Pretti was not armed when he was shot by the agents.
In a statement to CNN, Bovino defended his actions, saying that Pretti "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement". However, witnesses, local officials, and Pretti's family challenged this account, saying Pretti was holding a phone at the time of the shooting.
The move comes amid intense scrutiny following two fatal shootings involving immigration agents. In January, Renee Nicole Good, a protester, was shot dead by agents, while earlier in the month, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was also killed by Border Patrol agents. The incident drew widespread criticism and questions over Bovino's leadership.
Bovino, 51, who has been leading the federal immigration enforcement effort in Minneapolis since last summer, helped carry out an operation that led to over 5,000 arrests in Los Angeles. He has overseen similar actions in other Democratic-led cities including Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, and now Minneapolis.
The senior commander is known for his strong public profile, often sharing videos from operations and using social media to promote his agents and respond to critics. His style has made him highly visible and controversial. In Minneapolis, videos of Bovino walking down streets in a long, green military-style coat, shouting at protesters to move out of the way, have drawn comparisons to a "fascist" aesthetic.
Bovino's role is now being taken over by Tom Homan, the president's border czar. Homan has extensive experience in immigration enforcement and policy. He was appointed as Trump's border tsar earlier this year, and his appointment marks a shift in focus from southern to northern borders.
Critics accuse Bovino of ignoring local laws, as he walked down streets during Operation Metro Surge, while wearing body armor with an American flag pinned on it. His actions have drawn criticism from local officials and protesters who claim that Pretti was not armed when he was shot by the agents.
In a statement to CNN, Bovino defended his actions, saying that Pretti "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement". However, witnesses, local officials, and Pretti's family challenged this account, saying Pretti was holding a phone at the time of the shooting.
... like whats going on in minneapolis rn is crazy... Bovino got relieved because of those fatal shootings involving immigration agents and it's just another example of how we need better accountability 
. I mean, come on, walking around in a military coat, shouting at protesters? that's just not right 
. and now they're switching him out with Tom Homan, who's got more experience but i'm still skeptical about the whole situation 
... what's going on with these agents and their training? we need to make sure they're respecting the law and people's lives, not just enforcing it in a way that's super aggressive 
.
and what's with all these videos going around on social media? it's like they're trying to be some kind of superhero or something 
... but honestly, I don't think that's how law enforcement is supposed to work. my grandma always told me to just treat people with respect and kindness, even if you don't agree with them 
And those vids of him walkin down streets in that military coat, lol what's next, wearin armor to the grocery store? 
. Like, who walks around in full military gear on the streets, intimidating protesters? It's completely unprofessional and sets a really bad tone for his agents. And don't even get me started on the body armor thing - that's just ridiculous. Can't he see how it makes him look like some kind of authoritarian figure? 
they're like total bad cops, i mean i get that their job is to enforce the law but do they have to be so aggressive and deadly?! 
i dont think thats how you win people over, like, hello we want to help you not hurt anyone 
i hope tom homan is going to do better, he seems like a more reasonable person 
. I mean, I'm not saying the other guy wasn't a bad situation either, but can't we just have some calm conversations and resolutions instead of resorting to violence? 
he's always wearin that military coat & acting like a fascist or somethin lol its just weird 2 me but hey u do u
let's hope he does a better job & actually cares about the ppl we're supposed 2 be protectin 
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." - John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton 
. I mean, we all know that immigration is a complex issue, and we need people who are going to listen to everyone's concerns, not just one person's vision 
.