Summary: Gregory Bovino was reassigned as Border Patrol commander at large after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and video footage that contradicted his initial account. Bovino's tenure included aggressive operations in Southern California and Chicago, several incidents captured on video that prompted lawsuits and judicial criticism, and admissions in court that undermined official claims. Advocates warn that his removal does not eliminate concerns about unchecked federal immigration tactics and say accountability must come from higher levels of government.
Border Patrol Shake-Up: Bovino Reassigned After Minneapolis Shooting and Allegations of Excessive Force
Gregory Bovino's Legacy: Lies, Violence, and Unchecked Federal Power
Gregory Bovino, the U.S. Border Patrol commander at large who led 'Operation Metro Surge' in Minneapolis, was reassigned on Monday and will be replaced in Minneapolis by former immigration official Tom Homan, the Associated Press reports. The personnel change follows intense scrutiny after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and a string of high-profile, confrontational operations overseen by Bovino.
Immediate Controversy: The Minneapolis Shooting
Hours after the shooting, Bovino described the officer involved as having 'feared for his life,' saying Pretti 'approached immigration agents with a 9mm, semi-automatic handgun' and that agents 'attempted to disarm [Pretti], but he violently resisted,' prompting defensive gunfire. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller issued similar statements.
Subsequently released video footage, however, has raised serious questions about that account. The recordings depict federal agents as the primary aggressors in the encounter, show Pretti not reaching for a holstered weapon, and appear to indicate he was disarmed before the first shots were fired. The contrast between the initial public narrative and the video prompted criticism from across the political spectrum and led President Donald Trump to distance himself from the official account. Media reports also say Bovino may be reassigned to a different Customs and Border Protection post in El Centro, California, and faces speculation that he could retire.
Past Operations And Lawsuits
Over nearly three decades with the Border Patrol, and especially during a seven-month tenure as commander at large, Bovino has been associated with aggressive, highly visible immigration enforcement operations. As chief patrol agent during a summer 2025 campaign in Southern California, he promoted confrontational tactics that included masked agents in tactical gear and stops that generated allegations of racial profiling and property damage.
In September, Bovino launched 'Operation Midway Blitz' in Chicago. Local officials described the operations as 'frighteningly authoritarian' to CNN. Video and eyewitness accounts from Chicago showed several disturbing episodes: agents striking a pastor in the head with a tear gas canister, pepper-spraying a family with an infant during a grocery trip, and pointing firearms at protesters and bystanders while taunting them. Civil-rights groups and journalists described the tactics as excessive, and at least one federal lawsuit accused the administration of using heavy-handed tactics to 'silence the press and civilians' protesting immigration enforcement.
Bovino was later summoned to federal court over allegations that his agents deployed nonlethal weapons in violation of a temporary restraining order protecting nonviolent protesters. Video captured him throwing a tear gas canister into a crowd; DHS initially said he acted after being struck in the head by a rock. Bovino later acknowledged in federal court that the rock claim was false, and a federal judge criticized the Justice Department's defense as lacking credibility.
Other contested incidents include the nonfatal shooting of Marimar Martinez in Chicago, in which she was shot five times. DHS initially claimed Martinez had rammed an agent's car and was armed with a semi-automatic weapon; body-worn camera footage later contradicted that account, and Martinez was cleared of wrongdoing.
Recent Deployments And Ongoing Concerns
As Operation Midway Blitz wound down, Bovino oversaw deportation-focused campaigns in Charlotte, North Carolina, and New Orleans, Louisiana, before arriving in Minneapolis in early January. In Minneapolis, federal enforcement actions have included the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, allegations of unlawful warrantless arrests, reported uses of excessive force against protesters, and claims by civil-rights advocates that agents asserted unconstitutional authority to enter private homes without proper judicial warrants.
What Comes Next
Bovino's reassignment removes one prominent figure associated with aggressive enforcement, but advocates and legal observers warn that leadership changes alone may not stop rights violations. Secretary Noem remains a central figure in the administration's public messaging on these operations and appears to retain White House influence. Tom Homan, who will lead the Minneapolis effort going forward, has his own record on immigration enforcement and is not widely regarded by critics as an automatic corrective to the concerns raised under Bovino.
Bottom line: Bovino's departure is a notable personnel shift, but civil-rights groups, lawyers, and some public officials say meaningful accountability requires broader policy and oversight changes at the highest levels of government.
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