The Border Patrol commander who has been the public face of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Gregory Bovino, is expected to leave the city as part of a leadership reshuffling and scaling back of the federal presence following a second fatal shooting by officers.
CONTENT:
The Trump administration's Border Patrol commander in Minneapolis, Gregory Bovino, is set to leave the city on Tuesday as part of a larger leadership reshuffling and scaling back of the federal presence in the wake of a second fatal shooting by immigration officers, according to a senior administration official. Bovino, who has been a vocal advocate for the administration's deportation agenda and a target of criticism from Democrats and civil liberties activists, is also said to have been stripped of his 'commander at large' title.
Bovino, 55, has been the public face of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts in Minneapolis since 2025. His departure comes after the administration reviewed the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 24-year-old man who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in January 2026. The shooting sparked protests and calls for the federal agents to be removed from the city.
The senior Trump administration official, who asked for anonymity, told Reuters that Bovino and some of the agents deployed with him would be leaving Minnesota. The official did not provide further details on the reason behind the decision or where Bovino would be reassigned.
Bovino's departure is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to reshuffle its leadership of immigration enforcement operations and scale back the federal presence in Minneapolis and other cities following the fatal shootings. The administration has faced criticism from Democrats and civil liberties groups over the aggressive tactics used by its immigration officers, including the use of force and the detention of U.S. citizens.
The first fatal shooting by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis occurred in 2025, when an agent shot and killed Amir locke, a 27-year-old Black man, during a no-knock raid on his apartment. The shooting was ruled justifiable by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, but protests and calls for accountability continued.
The departure of Bovino and the scaling back of the federal presence in Minneapolis is likely to be met with relief from local officials and community leaders, who have long called for the agents to be removed from the city. However, it is unclear what impact this will have on the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts in the region and beyond.
Sources:
Reuters, "Border Patrol commander to leave Minneapolis after shooting of Alex Pretti, says official" (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/27/gregory-bovino-minneapolis-minnesota-alex-pretti-shooting)
The Guardian, "Trump administration reviewing Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis" (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/26/donald-trump-administration-reviewing-alex-pretti-shooting)
The Guardian, "Immigration officers in Los Angeles, California, to be investigated over use of force" (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/08/immigration-officers-los-angeles-california)