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By Adeola Adeosun and Gabe Whisnant
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Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and some agents are expected to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to the Associated Press (AP) on condition of anonymity.
However, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded to reports on X Monday evening, stating: "Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated from the White House podium, Greg Bovino is a key part of the President's team and a great American."
The conflicting reports comes as President Donald Trump dispatched border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to take charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
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Bovino has been at the center of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement surge in cities nationwide, making his withdrawal a significant shift in federal posture amid mounting outrage over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents on Saturday.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via email on Monday for comment.
Who Is Greg Bovino?
Bovino is a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol who currently serves as chief patrol agent of the El Centro Sector in Southern California.
He began his career on November 17, 1996, and has held various leadership positions including roles in BORTAC, Border Patrol's specialized elite tactical unit. Bovino was promoted to El Centro chief in April 2020, overseeing operations across Imperial and San Diego Counties and desert areas of California and Arizona.
He became the public face of Operation Metro Surge, leading highly visible federal crackdowns across Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and Minneapolis.
His aggressive enforcement tactics have drawn praise from supporters and fierce criticism from local officials, civil rights advocates and congressional Democrats.
Bovino has faced legal challenges over allegations his agents violated court orders by deploying tear gas during operations, and he testified before Congress in July 2023 about border conditions.
Difference Between Border Patrol and ICE
Border Patrol and ICE are both federal agencies under DHS but serve distinct functions. Border Patrol primarily secures U.S. borders and prevents illegal entry between ports of entry. ICE focuses on interior immigration enforcement, including identifying, apprehending and removing undocumented immigrants already inside the United States.
Operation Metro Surge has deployed both Border Patrol agents and ICE officers to Minneapolis, with Border Patrol taking a prominent enforcement role under Bovino's command. The operational overlap has contributed to tensions with local authorities who traditionally coordinate with ICE on immigration matters within city limits.
Minneapolis Shooting: Who Was Alex Pretti?
Pretti was a 37-year-old VA ICU nurse fatally shot by Border Patrol agents Saturday morning during a federal immigration enforcement operation on Minneapolis' Eat Street, near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.
The shooting sparked immediate outrage from city officials and residents, prompting Democratic Governor Tim Walz to deploy Minnesota National Guard members to secure the shooting site and Whipple Federal Building, a known immigration authority staging area.
Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey requested the National Guard deployment, citing local law enforcement resources stretched thin by thousands of federal immigration agents operating in the city.
What To Know
Criticism of Bovino intensified in recent days following his public defense of the Pretti shooting and disputed claims about the confrontation that led to the ICU nurse's death. The Border Patrol commander had conducted news conferences defending federal enforcement actions throughout Operation Metro Surge.
Walz and Trump held a phone call Monday morning that both sides characterized as productive. Walz pressed Trump on allowing impartial investigations of shootings involving federal agents and reducing the number of agents deployed in Minnesota.
Trump agreed that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) should investigate Saturday's shooting after the BCA was previously blocked by DHS from accessing the scene despite holding a lawful warrant.
Frey also spoke with Trump on Monday. "I spoke with President Trump today and appreciated the conversation," he posted on X. "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 the present situation can't continue."
Homan's deployment comes as U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez began hearing arguments Monday on whether to halt the immigration crackdown temporarily.
Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul sued DHS earlier this month, with the lawsuit seeking to restore pre-Operation Metro Surge conditions.
The lawsuit requests a reduction in federal officers to pre-surge levels and limiting enforcement operation scope. Justice Department attorneys have called the suit "legally frivolous," arguing Minnesota "wants a veto over federal law enforcement."
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What People Are Saying
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, on Monday: "Mr. Bovino is a wonderful man and he's a great professional. He is very much going to continue CBP throughout and across the country. Mr. Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis."
DNC Communications Director Rosemary Boeglin, on Monday: "Greg Bovino’s firing should be the first, not the last. An American citizen was murdered this weekend at the hands of federal agents. Donald Trump can hide away at movie screenings of ‘Melania,’ but the American people know he’s behind this campaign of terror and violence. And they won’t forget that in the immediate wake of a tragic murder, Trump, JD Vance and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem took to the airwaves to slander the victim and spread lies. Trump and Vance should immediately fire Noem, Stephen Miller, and Corey Lewandowski — or else they are sending a clear message to voters that getting murdered for exercising your constitutional rights is acceptable in Trump’s America.”
Right-wing commentator Nick Sortor, on X: "MAJOR BREAKING: Gregory Bovino has now been RELIEVED OF DUTY as Commander at Large of the U.S. Border Patrol, I’ve exclusive [sic] learned This is BS! Trump must reverse this NOW! Bovino put his life on the line EVERY SINGLE DAY pushing for mass deportations across the country, going head to head with leftists and reminding THEM who’s boss. His family’s been on lockdown for MONTHS, and despite the CONSTANT death threats, he’s STILL in public leading his men every single day. DO NOT COWER TO THE DEMOCRATS, PRESIDENT TRUMP! BACK BOVINO!"
Independent journalist Brian Allen, on X: "Greg Bovino has reportedly been relieved of duty as Head of U.S. Border Patrol. He’s FIRED. After publicly admitting the agent who killed Alex Pretti would never be named, pulling him out of Minnesota’s jurisdiction, and putting him back on the job — the fallout finally caught up. This didn’t happen by accident. Pressure works. Exposure works."
Investigative journalist Walter Curt, on X: "The Trump administration is making a stupid mistake getting rid of Greg Bovino. It will be considered a cave to the left by the base, and the radical left will not change their rhetoric at all, in fact this will embolden them. Further, it calls into question the entire operation of going out into the community to go after illegals look like a failure. Months of effort erased because a squish is worried about poll numbers. They should be worried about poll numbers by following through with this action. The administration will be seen as weak, and the base will respond with a loss of confidence. Whoever made this decision should be fired."
What Happens Next
Homan is expected to arrive in Minnesota to assume control of ICE operations, reporting directly to Trump.
Update 1/26/26, 6:06 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 1/26/26, 7:29 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 1/26/26, 8:43 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 1/26/26, 9:05 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with a new headline.
Reporting from the AP contributed to this article.
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