Gregory Bovino, a recently demoted Border Patrol commander, allegedly mocked Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen’s Jewish observance during a Jan. 12 call with prosecutors, according to The New York Times. Bovino reportedly ridiculed Rosen’s Shabbat observance and used the phrase "chosen people" sarcastically while pressing for tougher criminal action against people he said obstructed immigration enforcement. The episode comes amid controversy over two fatal shootings in Minneapolis that preceded Bovino’s demotion and reassignment.
Gregory Bovino Allegedly Mocked Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Jewish Faith During Jan. 12 Call
Gregory Bovino with federal agents outside a convenience store in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 21 January.Photograph: Angelina Katsanis/AP(Photograph: Angelina Katsanis/AP)
Gregory Bovino, a recently demoted Border Patrol official, is reported to have made mocking and sarcastic comments about the Jewish faith of Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen during a phone call with state prosecutors on Jan. 12, The New York Times says.
What Was Reported
According to the Times, Bovino ridiculed Rosen’s observance of Shabbat — the weekly period of rest from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday — and used the phrase "chosen people" in a derogatory tone while speaking with prosecutors. The call followed Bovino’s request for a meeting to press the U.S. attorney’s office to pursue tougher criminal charges against people he said were obstructing federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
Responses And Context
Rosen assigned the matter to a deputy, and with several prosecutors on the line Bovino reportedly complained that Rosen had been difficult to reach over the weekend because of Shabbat. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Justice Department (DoJ), and Rosen’s office in Minnesota did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Guardian.
Why It Matters
Bovino, 55, has been one of the most visible officials in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, previously serving in Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities before working in Minneapolis. His role in the aftermath of two recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis drew intense scrutiny and contributed to his demotion and removal from the city.
One of the incidents involved Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was shot and killed by Border Patrol on Jan. 24 while recording immigration officials, according to witness videos. DHS said agents fired in self-defense and asserted that the nurse had a handgun; witness footage shows Pretti holding a phone. The killing sparked protests and controversy over official accounts.
Pretti’s death occurred roughly 17 days after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis; that killing also triggered public protests. Following the controversy, Bovino was demoted from his role as a commander at large and transferred out of Minneapolis. Trump administration border official Tom Homan was assigned to lead the Minnesota immigration operation and said improvements were needed but did not specify changes.
This account is based on reporting by The New York Times and additional coverage by The Guardian. The allegations about Bovino’s remarks are reported and have not been independently confirmed by his office or the Justice Department.
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