Posted on 01/26/2026 1:19:23 PM PST by Miami Rebel
CNN reported Monday that controversial Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino will be leaving Minneapolis, where he has been overseeing operations and vehemently defending officers following the shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti.
Anderson Cooper broke the news Monday afternoon, saying, “Sources tell CNN that top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are expected to leave Minneapolis tomorrow,” before tossing to reporter Priscilla Alvarez.
“This really is a major shift in strategy here by the Trump administration,” Alvarez began. “Recall, Gregory Bovino has been a key player in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and became, in many ways, the public face of that crackdown across cities in the country. Most recently, of course, in Minneapolis.”
“We are now being told by sources that he is going to be departing Minneapolis with some of his Border Patrol agents tomorrow and going back to their respective sectors,” Alvarez said. “Now, we’re also told that part of this has been influenced by the frustrations within the administration over the handling and the public response of Saturday’s shooting.”
Earlier Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hinted at Bovino’s reassignment, saying, “Mr. Bovino is a wonderful man and he’s a great professional. He is very much going to lead Customs and Border Patrol throughout and across the country. Mr. [Tom] Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis.”
In addition to giving press conferences where he described his border patrol agents as the true “victims” in the incident with Pretti, Bovino spent the weekend sparring with lawmakers and journalists on social media.
After CNN’s Jake Tapper insinuated he was a liar, Bovino asked for proof, writing, “Then identify the lie, Jake. No one can seem to find this mysterious ‘lie’.”
Tapper was happy to oblige, posting reams of court documents where a judge wrote, ““Bovino admitted in his deposition that he lied multiple times.”
“Let me know if I can help with anything else,” Tapper wrote.
Oh I don’t worry about you your fate is already sealed unless you get a change of heart..Good Luck with that.
Too late, I think.
I agree.
Okay, we get it. You hate Trump.
Exactly. The only reason they have to go after them is because MN sets them free.
I wish there was some kind of pressure the Trump administration could apply to this end.
I've heard otherwise.
... he has left those ICE agents out there to fend for themselves. Its wrong. They are immigration enforcement agents. Its not their job to face down screaming mobs.
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I agree. I don’t understand why they aren’t being given help by the federal government since the state and city police/national guard are being told to stand down and simply allow the mobs to interfere with ICE. It’s a rebellion that’s being allowed to fester.
Welcome to Free Republic.
Giving Bovino a break
One break coming up!
He was changed because nothing stays the same.
Newb bump
I agree.
The difference is Bovino is an ops guy. Homan isn’t. That’s a pretty clear signal there which direction this MN thing is going.
The difference is Bovino is an ops guy. Homan isn’t. That’s a pretty clear signal there which direction this MN thing is going.
If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.
-Don Draper (Mad Men)
I’m using what I hope I’m wrong.
Dang it. I didn’t go back far enough on the delete. What I meant was, “I hope I’m wrong.”
Seems to be. BTW, there are polls indicating the president's approval on deportations is quite positive.
There's also that fact that, in the video I saw, it looked very much like Pretti was reaching toward the empty holster when the firing started. He may not have known the gun was gone, but his arm definitely goes around behind him toward that holster as he's rising up on his knees.
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