Bovino cites 700 agents in Minneapolis pullout as 'surrender'

Greg Bovino characterized the recent withdrawal of federal agents from Minneapolis as a strategic retreat by the Trump administration.

Bovino, a 56-year-old former border patrol chief, described the removal of approximately 700 immigration agents from Minnesota as a surrender. He stated in a BBC interview that the administration threw the towel in, causing deportation efforts to reach a virtual standstill.

The former chief expressed regret for not arresting more individuals during the initial operation in January. He described the agents deployed to the city as the real victims, citing what he called the highest level of violence faced by any law enforcement mission in US history.

Legal disputes continue regarding the death of Renee Good, a US citizen shot during the operation. Her family filed two civil lawsuits earlier this month alleging wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with the civil rights of protesters. The filings name Bovino and Jonathan Ross, the agent who fired the shots, for their individual roles in the operation.

The family's legal team responded to Bovino's comments by saying he was spewing propaganda and could not act as judge, jury, and executioner. They noted that their team looks forward to the depositions of Bovino and all other defendants in the matter.

Bovino was removed from his position shortly after Good and Alex Pretti were shot dead. President Trump subsequently ordered a de-escalation, handing the operation to White House border tsar Tom Homan. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary at the time, was fired by Trump in March.

Bovino now advocates for total spectrum immigration enforcement backed by the military. He has claimed that 100 million people are in the US illegally, a figure he stated without supporting evidence. A White House spokesperson countered that more than 3 million illegal aliens had left the country due to current policies.

He recently suggested he might explore a presidential run in 2028 if politicians fail to step up. Bovino has since retired from the border patrol and recently addressed a far-right rally in Michigan, where activists called for the deportation of Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate.