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Border Patrol Commander Removed Amid Minneapolis Unrest
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino has been ordered to leave Minneapolis, according to reports from the Associated Press and The Atlantic, marking a significant shift in the Trump administration’s approach to its controversial immigration enforcement operation in the city.
The decision comes after three weeks of escalating tensions that saw federal agents shoot three Americans, killing two, since Bovino arrived with approximately 2,000 immigration enforcement officers. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara highlighted the stark contrast in policing outcomes before the federal surge, noting that his department had “recovered about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds and hundreds of violent offenders” in the previous year without shooting anyone.
“This is not sustainable,” O’Hara told CBS News. “This is taking an enormous toll, trying to manage all of this chaos on top of having to be the police department for a major city. It’s too much.”
Tom Homan, the White House’s “border czar,” will now take control of operations in Minneapolis, located about 300 miles from the Canadian border. President Trump announced that Homan will begin by meeting with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The leadership change follows controversy around Bovino’s handling of the latest fatal shooting, in which he claimed that 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti had planned to “massacre” law enforcement officers—a statement contradicted by multiple videos of the confrontation.
Bovino is expected to return to his previous position in El Centro, California, where he will likely retire soon. His sudden demotion signals that the administration may be reconsidering its aggressive tactics while continuing its promised mass deportation operation.
The federal presence in Minneapolis has sparked legal challenges as well. Minnesota’s top federal judge has summoned ICE acting director Todd Lyons to appear in court Friday, stating that the agency has repeatedly violated court orders by detaining noncitizens or transferring them to Texas despite judicial commands. The judge threatened Lyons with contempt proceedings, declaring “the court’s patience is at an end.”
Congressional oversight is also intensifying. Senator Rand Paul, who chairs the Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, has called the chiefs of ICE, Customs and Border Protections, and Citizenship and Immigration Services to testify on February 12.
Legal experts have raised concerns about the administration’s rhetoric, particularly the labeling of Alex Pretti as a “domestic terrorist” by senior officials including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. Some observers suggest this represents a deliberate strategy to “demonize opposition to its anti-immigrant policies as ‘domestic terrorism'” and potentially “weaponize powers of the federal government against perceived political opponents.”
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Corrections has taken the unusual step of creating a webpage titled “Combatting DHS Misinformation” to counter what officials describe as distorted facts and fabrications from federal authorities. Department official Safia Khan noted they had identified “at least 68 false claims” by federal agencies, particularly regarding the nature of arrests being portrayed as successes of “Operation Metro Surge” that were actually routine, pre-scheduled custody transfers.
Legal accountability for federal agents remains complicated. Law professors Barry Friedman and Steve Vladeck explained in the New York Times that Supreme Court decisions have made it “all but impossible to hold federal officers liable for damages in federal lawsuits for violating our constitutional rights,” leaving state law as the historical backstop for federal accountability.
The administration has also escalated its demands on Minnesota, with Attorney General Pam Bondi claiming the “chaos” would end if state officials would hand over the state’s full voter roll, including Social Security numbers and party affiliations—a move critics view as part of a pattern to advance unproven narratives about noncitizen voter fraud.
As tensions continue, social media platform TikTok has faced accusations of suppressing content related to the Minneapolis situation, with users reporting delays in post approvals and reduced visibility for critical content just days after a deal to transfer the U.S. business to new investors was finalized.
The events in Minneapolis represent one of the most visible domestic challenges for the administration as it attempts to implement its immigration enforcement agenda while managing growing public and legal scrutiny.
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16 Comments
This story highlights the ongoing challenges and tensions around immigration enforcement, especially in urban areas far from the physical border. It will be interesting to see how the situation in Minneapolis evolves with the change in federal leadership and approach.
Absolutely, this is a complex issue with a lot of moving parts. The dynamics between local and federal authorities, as well as the impacts on the community, will be crucial to monitor going forward.
The reported contrast in policing outcomes before and after the federal surge raises some serious concerns about the tactics and approaches being used by the federal immigration agents. I hope this change in leadership leads to a more collaborative and community-focused approach.
I share your hope that this change in leadership will result in a more balanced and measured approach to immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. The local police’s success in reducing violent crime without any shootings suggests there may be better ways to address these challenges.
It’s an interesting and complex situation, with the federal government’s immigration priorities seemingly clashing with the local policing needs and community impact. The resignation of the top Border Patrol commander suggests there are significant challenges that need to be resolved.
Yes, this story highlights the ongoing tensions and difficult tradeoffs between federal immigration enforcement and local public safety concerns. It will be worth following how the new leadership and approach in Minneapolis plays out.
The reported contrast in policing outcomes before and after the federal surge is quite stark. Recovering 900 guns and arresting hundreds of violent offenders without any shootings, versus the federal agents shooting multiple people, is quite concerning.
I agree, those statistics highlight the significant difference in approach and outcomes between the local police and the federal immigration enforcement. It raises questions about the appropriate role and tactics for federal agents in these situations.
The decision to have the White House’s top border official take control of operations in Minneapolis, so far from the actual border, raises some questions about the motivations and strategy behind that move. I wonder if it signals a broader shift in federal immigration enforcement priorities and tactics.
That’s a good point. Centralizing that level of control from the White House so far from the border does seem unusual. It will be important to closely monitor how this plays out and what the broader implications might be for immigration enforcement efforts across the country.
This story highlights the ongoing challenges and complexities around immigration enforcement, especially in urban areas far from the physical border. The reported contrast in policing outcomes before and after the federal surge is quite concerning and raises questions about the appropriate role and tactics for federal agents in these situations.
I agree, this is a complex issue with a lot of nuance. It will be interesting to see how the change in federal leadership and approach in Minneapolis impacts the dynamics between local and federal authorities, as well as the overall effects on the community.
Interesting to see the top Border Patrol commander being removed from Minneapolis amid the escalating tensions and policing challenges. It seems like a complex situation with federal and local forces struggling to manage the immigration enforcement efforts.
Yes, it sounds like a difficult balance to strike between federal immigration priorities and the local policing needs. The resignation of the top commander suggests there are some serious issues that need to be resolved.
The decision to have the White House’s “border czar” take control of operations in Minneapolis, located 300 miles from the Canadian border, seems like an interesting choice. I wonder what the rationale is behind centralizing that level of control from the federal government.
That’s a good point. Putting the White House’s top border official in charge of operations that far from the actual border raises questions about the motivations and goals behind that move. It could signal a shift in priorities or strategy for the federal immigration enforcement efforts.