US Scales Back Immigration Operation in Minneapolis as Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino Set to Leave

The head of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino is expected to leave the city on Tuesday, as the Trump administration undertakes a major reshuffle of leadership overseeing the operation.

The development was reported by The Guardian on Tuesday.

According to a senior administration official, the 55-year-old Bovino is leaving Minnesota on Tuesday along with a group of federal agents. Democratic leaders and human rights activists had long criticized Bovino for his role in the controversial operation.

Another source said Bovino has been removed from the specially created role of “commander at large” and will return to his previous post as a chief patrol agent at the US–Mexico border in California.

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that he was sending his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minnesota to oversee the ongoing operation, known as Operation Metro Surge. Homan will report directly to the president.

The shift in strategy comes after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Preti, the second civilian to be killed by federal officers during the operation. Following the incident, Trump spoke by phone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Earlier, Trump had blamed both Democratic leaders for unrest in the state, but his tone has since softened.

News of Bovino’s demotion was first reported by The Atlantic, which said he may soon retire. However, the Department of Homeland Security denied that Bovino had been relieved of duty, praising him instead as a patriot.

Despite reports of Bovino’s departure, protests have continued. Demonstrators gathered outside the hotel where he was believed to be staying, banging pots and pans and blowing whistles in protest.

Bovino was a vocal supporter of Trump’s controversial immigration operation and produced cinematic-style promotional videos for it. He was often seen unmasked and projecting authority, while agents around him wore face coverings. His appearance and conduct led some critics to compare him to Nazi-era forces.

Bovino consistently defended federal agents, even when video evidence contradicted his claims. After Preti’s killing last weekend, Bovino said the victim had been planning a major attack.

However, video footage showed that Preti was unarmed and holding only a mobile phone. Last year, a federal judge had also sharply reprimanded Bovino for providing false information to the court.