One of PresidentĀ Donald Trump’s top immigration enforcers in Minneapolis is stepping away after recent violence by federal agents sparked national outrage.
On Tuesday, Jan. 27,Ā multipleĀ outletsĀ reported that Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, as well as some top Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, are set to depart the embattled Midwestern city in the coming days.
Bovino, 55, has been the face of the Minneapolis ICE operation in recent weeks, which has seen the shooting deaths of 37-year-old ICU nurseĀ Alex PrettiĀ and 37-year-old mother of threeĀ Renee GoodĀ by federal agents ā as well as the combative protests that followed.
In both cases, Bovino aggressively defended the actions of his officers, joining Homeland Security SecretaryĀ Kristi NoemĀ in accusing Pretti ā a lawful gun owner ā of attempting to attack Border Patrol agents.
“This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” he said at the time, despite multiple video angles showing that Pretti was holding a cell phone, not a gun, and that Border Patrol agents disarmed him before shooting him at point-blank range.
Alex Pretti, the man who wasĀ shot and killed by federal officers in Minneapolis, is being remembered by his high school friend as a non-violent individual.
Bovino also raised eyebrows during his time in Minneapolis for marching the streets alongside ICE officers, unmasked and occasionally wearing an army-green greatcoat that drew comparisons to the uniforms of Nazi officers during World War II.
Bovino didn’t appreciate the comparison, warning in a Jan. 26 press conference: “Calling law enforcement names like Gestapo, or using the term ‘kidnapping,’ that is a choice that is made. There are actions and consequences that come from those choices.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/gregory-bovino-federal-agents-protest-ice-minneapolis-012726-174076189d084b55888733ed69f06f8a.jpg)
The AtlanticĀ reported that Bovino will return to his post in El Centro, Calif., where he is Commander Op At Large of that sector.
Meanwhile, Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlinĀ insisted in an X post, “Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As @PressSec stated from the White House podium, @CMDROpAtLargeCA is a key part of the Presidentās team and a great American.”
Never miss a story ā sign up forĀ PEOPLE’s free daily newsletterĀ to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offerāā, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Following Bovino’s departure, Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, will become the president’s point person on the ground in Minneapolis and report to him directly, rather than Noem. Trump announced the news in a Jan. 26 Truth Social post.
“I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight,” Trump said. “He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”
Promising to continue to crack down on the “20 Billion Dollar, Plus, Welfare Fraud that has taken place in Minnesota,” and the finances of his frequent target,Ā Rep. Ilhan Omar, Trump continued, “Time will tell all.”
After announcing Homan was headed to Minnesota, Trump also seemed to walk back the vitriol he had previously expressed for Minnesota Gov.Ā Tim WalzĀ and Minneapolis MayorĀ Jacob Frey, posting on Truth Social that he’d had “successful” calls with both of the Democratic leaders.
“Lots of progress is being made!” Trump posted after his conversation with Frey. “Tom Homan will be meeting with him tomorrow in order to continue the discussion.”
However, the president has continued to insist upon maintaining a federal presence in Minneapolis, and was quick to defend ICEĀ when asked on Jan. 20 about Good’s deathĀ two weeks before Pretti was also shot and killed.
“They’re gonna make mistakes sometimes,” he said. “ICE is gonna be too rough with somebody or- you know, they’re dealing with rough people. They’re gonna make a mistake sometimes. It can happen.”
