A key U.S. immigration enforcement commander is preparing to leave Minneapolis as the federal response to two recent fatal shootings by immigration officers comes under mounting public and political pressure. Gregory Bovino, a senior Border Patrol official who became the public face of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota, is expected to depart the city as early as Tuesday, according to multiple sources familiar with internal planning.
The move comes after intense backlash following the Jan. 24 killing of 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse Alex Pretti by federal Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis — the second U.S. citizen shot and killed in separate incidents during Operation Metro Surge, a wide-ranging immigration enforcement effort in the region.
Officials told Reuters that Bovino will return to his prior post in California and is likely to retire soon. President Donald Trump has dispatched his designated border czar, Tom Homan, to take charge of on-the-ground immigration operations and report directly to the White House.
The reshuffle is widely seen as an attempt to ease tensions that have flared between federal agents and Minnesota state and city leaders, who argue that the operation has escalated into a crisis. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have repeatedly called for a reduction of the federal footprint and clearer communication following Pretti’s death, which ignited protests and widespread public outrage.
Federal authorities have defended the actions of the agents involved, saying they acted in self-defense, but that account has been disputed by local officials and bystanders. Available video footage suggests Pretti was holding a phone — not a weapon — at the time he was shot, challenging the narrative that he posed an immediate threat.
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The administration’s decision to shift leadership signals a broader recalibration of its approach, even as some immigration enforcement activities continue and political rancor grows in Washington. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for deeper oversight and independent investigations into the shooting.
In Minneapolis, the fallout has stretched beyond the federal shift: vigils for Pretti and demonstrations demanding accountability and transparency continue, with many residents and activists insisting that the federal presence be significantly curtailed.