Ex-Border Chief Calls Minneapolis Pullout Surrender

Greg Bovino, the former head of US border patrol, described the recent removal of immigration agents from Minneapolis as a surrender by the Trump administration. In an interview with the BBC, the 56-year-old defended his role in the city’s deportation drive and suggested he is considering a run for president in 2028.

Bovino stated that the administration threw the towel in, leaving deportations at a virtual standstill. He expressed regret that he did not arrest more undocumented immigrants in Minnesota, labeling his officers as the real victims of the most violent law enforcement mission in US history. He is currently campaigning in Detroit for stricter immigration enforcement.

The withdrawal of agents followed the deaths of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January. Both shootings were captured on video and triggered bipartisan backlash and protests. President Donald Trump subsequently ordered a de-escalation, resulting in the departure of approximately 700 agents from the state. Tom Homan, the White House border chief, assumed command of the operation.

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

Bovino’s legal representatives responded to his comments by accusing him of spewing propaganda. They stated he cannot act as judge, jury, and executioner in the matter. The family’s lawyers said they look forward to deposing Bovino and all other defendants in the case.

When asked about video evidence regarding the intent of Good and Pretti, Bovino maintained that violence was perpetrated against government agents. He insisted that society operates under laws and that consequences follow non-compliance. Trump initially claimed Good ran over an ICE officer viciously, but later described the death as a tragedy and acknowledged that agents sometimes make mistakes.

Bovino has not received a final explanation from the administration for his removal from the post. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary during the operation, was fired by Trump in March. Bovino has since retired from the border patrol. He has advocated for total spectrum immigration enforcement backed by the military and claimed without evidence that 100 million people are in the US illegally.

The White House says Trump has delivered the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history, with more than 3 million undocumented immigrants leaving the country. Bovino recently spoke at a far-right rally in Michigan where activists supported the deportation of Abdul El-Sayed, a US-born Democratic Senate candidate.