The acting commander of U.S. Border Patrol and an unspecified number of agents are expected to leave Minnesota “imminently,” according to multiple reports, amid escalating outrage over a series of deadly encounters tied to a massive federal immigration crackdown in the state. Gregory Bovino, who has overseen Border Patrol operations during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge, is among those expected to depart, the Wall Street Journal reported.
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Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump administration border czar Tom Homan would be taking control of the Minneapolis operation.
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Bovino, the public face of hardline Trump deportation arrests, had come under intense scrutiny after his agents fired less lethal and chemical irritants at peaceful protesters. Bovino also leaned into an authoritarian fashion sense, wearing what appeared to be a customized uniform that many critics said resembled a Nazi-era uniform.
The pullback comes days after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen, during an immigration operation in south Minneapolis, a killing that ignited protests and renewed scrutiny of federal tactics.
Pretti’s death followed another fatal shooting earlier this month, when queer mother Renee Nicole Good was killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot her in her car. Her killing was ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County medical examiner. Together, the incidents have intensified calls from local leaders and advocates to halt or scale back the federal presence.
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It remains unclear how many agents are leaving, whether the departures include ICE officers, or how the move will affect ongoing enforcement efforts. Operation Metro Surge has deployed more than 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota, according to court filings and public statements. Federal authorities have not publicly commented on the reported departures.
This is a developing story.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on Heated Rivalry.HBO Max/Crave Canada
