Gregory Bovino, the border patrol commander who has become the public face of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, is expected to leave the city on Tuesday. This comes as the Trump administration reshuffles the leadership of its immigration enforcement operation and scales back the federal presence following a second fatal shooting by officers.
A senior Trump administration official told Reuters that the 55-year-old, who has drawn criticism from Democrats and civil liberties activists, would be leaving Minnesota along with some of the agents deployed with him.
Another person familiar with the matter said Bovino had been stripped of his specially created title of “commander at large” for the border patrol and would return to his former job as a chief patrol agent along California’s El Centro sector of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Donald Trump announced on Monday that he was sending Tom Homan, his “border tsar,” to Minnesota to oversee operations on the ground—nicknamed Operation Metro Surge—and report directly to the president.
Bovino’s departure follows a sharp shift in strategy from the White House after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse. Earlier on Monday, Trump said he had held conciliatory calls with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey—Democrats he had previously blamed for the turmoil that escalated into two killings of U.S. citizens by federal agents.
Word of Bovino’s demotion was first reported by the Atlantic on Monday, citing an official from the Department of Homeland Security and two others with knowledge of the change. The Atlantic said Bovino was expected to retire soon.
The Department of Homeland Security pushed back on the demotion reports in response to a tweet from conservative influencer Nick Sortor claiming Bovino’s role as commander at large had been “eliminated.”
“Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin replied, pointing to earlier comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praising Bovino as a “key part of the president’s team and a great American.”
News of Bovino’s departure did not stop dozens of protesters from gathering outside a hotel where they believed he was staying. They blew whistles, banged pots, and one person played a trombone. Police watched and kept them away from the hotel entrance.
During a White House press briefing on Monday, Leavitt struck a conciliatory tone, calling Pretti’s death a “tragedy” and appearing to walk back previous comments from White House adviser Stephen Miller, who had called Pretti a “would-be assassin.” Trump said earlier on Monday that his administration was reviewing the shooting of Pretti by a federal officer.
Trump and Walz—an otherwise regular target of the president’s criticism—said they had spoken on Monday to discuss the federal immigration surge. The president described it in positive terms, writing on Truth Social: “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength.”
Walz’s office issued a statement hinting at a possible de-escalation, saying the governor and the president had held a “productive” call in which Trump had “agreed to look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota and working with the state in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals.”
Later on Monday, Trump said he had had a “very good telephone conversation” with Frey as well.Frey, who has been sharply critical of the administration’s deployment, said in a statement that he had told Trump the current operation “needs to end.”
“The president agreed that the present situation cannot continue,” Frey said. “Some federal agents will begin leaving the area tomorrow, and I will continue pushing for the rest involved in this operation to go.”
Bovino has been one of the most aggressive promoters of Trump’s deportation campaign, promoting the operations in highly produced videos designed to resemble action films. Often the only unmasked face, Bovino—recognizable by his closely cropped hair and swaggering presence—was typically surrounded by agents wearing black neck gaiters and facial coverings. He recently appeared in the Minneapolis snow wearing an army green greatcoat, which drew comparisons to the Gestapo.
According to the Atlantic, Bovino will return to El Centro, California, where he previously served as chief patrol agent of the sector. Through frequent appearances on conservative media, his aggressive “turn and burn” tactics, and vocal support for Trump’s deportation agenda, Bovino expanded his regional role into a national one, leading the administration’s city-by-city crackdown.
CNN reported on Monday that DHS had suspended Bovino’s access to his social media accounts.
Bovino had aggressively defended his agents following the fatal shootings of Renee Good earlier this month and Alex Pretti over the weekend, despite video footage contradicting his claims.
“This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” Bovino said after Pretti’s killing. Video showed that Pretti had been holding a phone, not a gun, and that agents had disarmed him before killing him.
Last year, Bovino was reprimanded by a federal judge for lying to the court.
Associated Press and Reuters contributed reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the Minneapolis Border Patrol commander stepping down following the shooting of Alex Pretti written in a natural tone with direct answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What happened Can you give me a quick summary
A Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis shot and injured a man named Alex Pretti during an incident in March 2024 Following public outcry and an investigation the commander of the Minneapolis Border Patrol sector Chief Patrol Agent William Bill Ferrara announced he is stepping down from his leadership role
2 Who is Alex Pretti
Alex Pretti is a Minneapolis resident who was shot multiple times by a US Border Patrol agent on March 14 2024 The shooting occurred during an attempted arrest and Pretti survived his injuries
3 Who is the commander stepping down
The commander is Chief Patrol Agent William Bill Ferrara He was the head of the US Border Patrols Minneapolis Sector which covers Minnesota and the Dakotas
4 Why is the commander stepping down Is he being fired
He is voluntarily stepping down from his command position Official statements cite a desire to pursue other opportunities and prevent the incident from being a distraction It is widely seen as a direct consequence of the criticism and scrutiny following the Pretti shooting
5 Was the shooting captured on video
Yes Body camera footage from a Minneapolis police officer who was present was released It shows the moments leading up to and including the shooting which has been a key piece of evidence in the public debate
Advanced Detailed Questions
6 What was Border Patrol doing in Minneapolis Isnt that far from the border
Border Patrol has broad authority to operate within 100 miles of any US external boundary Minneapolis falls within this 100mile zone They often work with local law enforcement on joint operations which was the case here
7 What were the specific reasons for public and official criticism of the commander
Criticism focused on leadership accountability the use of force policies and the decisionmaking that led to a highrisk operation in a dense urban area The release of the bodycam video intensified questions about whether the shooting was justified
8 What happens to the agent who fired the shots
The agent has
