Gregory Bovino has been removed from his position as Border Patrol “commander at large” and reassigned to his former post in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon, according to a Department of Homeland Security official and two people familiar with the decision.
Bovino’s abrupt demotion marks the strongest sign yet that the Trump administration is rethinking its most aggressive immigration enforcement tactics following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents under Bovino’s command on Saturday.
Earlier on Monday, President Donald Trump appeared to signal a tactical shift in the administration’s mass-deportation campaign through a series of social media posts. Trump said he had spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz—whom the White House had previously accused of inciting violence—and claimed the two were now on “a similar wavelength.” Trump also announced that Tom Homan, the former ICE chief appointed as the administration’s “border czar,” would travel to Minnesota to take charge of the federal response there.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her close adviser Corey Lewandowski—both strong supporters of Bovino—are also at risk of losing their positions, according to two sources.
For the past seven months, Bovino had served as the public face of a roaming immigration crackdown targeting Democratic-led cities. Granted the title of “commander” by Noem and other Trump officials, Bovino led masked Border Patrol agents into cities including Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Minneapolis. He became a prominent MAGA-aligned figure on social media, traveling with a personal film crew and regularly attacking Democratic leaders and critics online.
Veteran officials within ICE and Customs and Border Protection grew increasingly uneasy as Bovino operated outside the traditional chain of command and appeared to embrace a highly political role. In Minneapolis, the administration positioned him as its lead spokesperson, holding daily press conferences in which he defended aggressive enforcement tactics and blamed protesters and local officials. Such political engagement is highly unusual for Border Patrol commanders.
Bovino’s removal comes two days after Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis fatally shot Pretti, an intensive-care nurse who worked with military veterans. Hours after the shooting, Bovino echoed DHS claims that Pretti had attempted to “massacre” federal agents, repeatedly portraying the agents as the victims.
Video footage of the incident contradicts those claims. Pretti, who was legally licensed to carry a concealed weapon, did not draw his firearm or attack the agents. The footage shows one agent disarming him moments before another agent shot him in the back.
Neither DHS nor Customs and Border Protection immediately responded to questions about Bovino’s reassignment. When asked about Bovino and Noem, a White House spokesperson referred to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s statement that Noem retains the president’s “utmost confidence and trust.”
In a separate post, Trump said he had also spoken with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “Lots of progress is being made!” the president wrote, adding that Tom Homan would meet with Frey the following day to continue discussions.