Former Border Chief: Minneapolis Agent Pullout Was Surrender

Greg Bovino, the former head of US Border Patrol who led the immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, described the withdrawal of federal agents from the city as a surrender by the Trump administration. Bovino made the comments in an interview with the BBC, defending the tactics used during the campaign despite the public backlash that followed.

The federal pullout involved the departure of approximately 700 immigration agents from Minnesota. This retreat occurred after two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed in January. Video footage of both incidents sparked widespread protests and bipartisan criticism. President Donald Trump subsequently stated he intended to de-escalate the situation, leading to the transfer of operational control to Tom Homan, the White House border official.

Bovino, 56, was removed from his position shortly after the January shootings. He stated that he regretted not enforcing the law more aggressively in Minnesota, specifically saying he wished he had arrested more illegal aliens. He characterized his officers as the real victims of the operation, claiming the mission faced the most violence in US law enforcement history. Despite video evidence of the shootings, Bovino maintained that agents were subjected to violence and that the public must follow the law to avoid consequences.

The family of Renee Good filed two civil lawsuits earlier this month against the administration. The suits allege wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with the civil rights of protesters. One lawsuit names Bovino and Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good, for their individual roles in the operation. The legal complaint argues that the deployment created an environment for state-sponsored violence. A White House spokeswoman previously dismissed the claims as baseless.

In response to Bovino's recent remarks, lawyers for Good's family stated he was spewing propaganda and could not act as judge, jury, and executioner. The legal team indicated it looks forward to taking depositions from Bovino and the other defendants. Bovino said he was not responding to the lawsuit directly, noting that people file lawsuits frequently.

Bovino is currently campaigning in Detroit for tougher immigration enforcement. He proposed a total spectrum immigration enforcement strategy backed by the military and claimed without evidence that 100 million people are in the US illegally. A White House spokesperson countered that the president had delivered the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history, citing more than 3 million departures.

The former chief also suggested he is exploring a presidential run in 2028. He stated that if politicians fail to step up and do their job, voters might see him in that race. Bovino recently addressed a far-right rally in Michigan where activists called for the deportation of Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Senate candidate and US-born citizen who would become the first Muslim US senator if he defeats Republican Mike Rogers.