Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some other Border Patrol agents are reportedly scheduled to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday, as Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, is being deployed to Minnesota to oversee U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
Three sources familiar with the situation told CNN that Bovino and some Border Patrol agents are expected to return to their previously assigned Border Patrol sectors after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot anti-ICE activist Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. One anonymous official told the outlet that the departure of Bovino from Minneapolis was a “mutual decision.” Sources also told CNN that some Border Patrol agents are expected to remain deployed in Minneapolis.
READ MORE: Military police preparing for possible deployment to Minnesota: Report
In a Truth Social statement on Monday, Trump announced that he was sending Homan to Minnesota. “He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there,” the president stated. “Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”
During a Monday press conference, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Homan would be leading the administration’s operations in Minnesota. However, the White House press secretary also noted that Bovino would continue leading Border Patrol operations across the United States.
“Mr. Bovino is a wonderful man, and he’s a great professional,” Leavitt told reporters. “He is going to very much continue to lead Customs and Border Patrol throughout and across the country.”
Addressing rumors that Bovino had been relieved of his duties in the aftermath of Saturday’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As @PressSec stated from the White House podium, @CMDROpAtLargeCA is a key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
In another Truth Social statement on Monday, Trump confirmed that he had talked with Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) and that the governor was “happy” that Homan would be heading to Minnesota to lead the administration’s ICE operations across the state.
“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota,” Trump wrote. “It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession.”
“The Governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future,” the president added. “He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!”
