Former Chief Says 700 Agents Left Minnesota in Surrender

Greg Bovino, the former head of US Border Patrol, described the withdrawal of federal agents from Minneapolis as a surrender. He made the assessment during an interview with the BBC while speaking in Detroit. Bovino argued that the Trump administration threw in the towel and left deportations at a virtual standstill. He stated that he regrets not arresting more people during the initial phase of the operation.

The federal presence in Minnesota began with a large-scale deportation drive in which Bovino became the public face. The operation faced a sharp backlash after two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed in January. Video of both incidents spread widely, prompting protests and a bipartisan reaction. President Donald Trump responded by saying he would de-escalate the situation. He ordered hundreds of immigration officers to leave the city.

Approximately 700 agents departed Minnesota following the shootings. Tom Homan, the White House border advisor, assumed command of the remaining operation. Bovino was removed from his leadership role shortly after the deaths. He has since retired from the Border Patrol. Kristi Noem, who served as Homeland Security Secretary during the campaign, was fired by Trump in March.

Bovino defended the conduct of his officers despite the video evidence. When asked if the footage undermined his claim that the victims intended to harm agents, he disagreed. He said the evidence showed violence was perpetrated against US government agents. He noted that society is based on laws and that people must follow them. He described his agents as the real victims of what he called the most violence any law enforcement mission had faced in US history.

The family of Renee Good filed two civil lawsuits against the administration earlier this month. 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 family’s lawyers criticized Bovino’s recent comments, stating he was spewing propaganda. They said he cannot be judge, jury, and executioner. They added that their team looks forward to depositions.

A White House spokeswoman previously dismissed the lawsuits as baseless. The administration has claimed that Trump delivered the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history. Officials stated that more than 3 million undocumented immigrants left the country due to these policies. Bovino has claimed without evidence that 100 million people are in the US illegally. He has called for total spectrum immigration enforcement backed by the military.

Bovino also discussed his potential future in politics. He floated the idea of exploring a presidential run in 2028. He said that if politicians do not step up to do their jobs, voters might see something happen. He recently addressed a far-right rally in Michigan. The event was organized by activists calling for the deportation of Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed is a US-born citizen and Democratic Senate candidate who faces Republican Mike Rogers in the upcoming race.