Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino pulled from Metro Surge, reassigned to El Centro sector
Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who had been serving as the national "Commander of Operation At Large," has been pulled from the Metro Surge and reassigned back to the El Centro, California CBP sector — a move described by The Atlantic and the Washington Examiner as a demotion, and reports say he may retire soon. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he was not "relieved" and would "continue to lead" broadly while border czar Tom Homan will run point on Minnesota ICE raids, after Bovino drew controversy for publicly backing the Border Patrol agent who shot Alex Pretti and declining to identify the shooter.
📌 Key Facts
- Border Patrol commander Gregory (Greg) Bovino is being moved out of his national 'Commander of Operation At Large' role and reassigned back to his former El Centro, California CBP sector position; The Atlantic and the Washington Examiner characterize the move as a demotion.
- Reports say Bovino may retire soon, suggesting the reassignment might not be temporary.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted Bovino was not 'relieved' and said he will 'continue to lead' CBP broadly.
- The White House indicated border czar Tom Homan will now run point on Minnesota ICE raids.
- Bovino publicly backed the Border Patrol agent who shot and killed Alex Pretti—calling 'the victims the Border Patrol agents' and refusing to identify the shooter—which has made him a political and legal liability.
📊 Relevant Data
Venezuelan immigrants in the United States have an incarceration rate of 241 per 100,000, which is lower than the rate for Haitians at 633 per 100,000 and lower than the overall U.S. rate.
Illegal Immigrant Incarceration Rates, 2010–2023 — Cato Institute
Immigrants in the United States commit crimes at lower rates than the U.S.-born population.
Explainer: Immigrants and Crime in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Economic and political instability in Venezuela, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has driven migration to the United States since 2015.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
Venezuelan migrants contribute around 1.2 percent of total tax revenue across host countries and add over USD 10 billion a year to regional economies.
Venezuelan Migrants Add Over USD 10 Billion a Year to Regional Economies — International Organization for Migration
Operation Metro Surge has resulted in the arrest of over 3,000 criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota, including members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
ICE Continues to Remove the Worst of the Worst from Minneapolis Streets as DHS Law Enforcement Marks 3,000 Arrests During Operation Metro Surge — Department of Homeland Security
Historical precedents for state-federal disputes in immigration enforcement include the Supreme Court case Arizona v. United States, which struck down parts of Arizona's SB 1070 law for preempting federal authority.
Arizona v. United States - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms, via The Atlantic and Washington Examiner, that Gregory Bovino is being moved out of his national 'Commander of Operation At Large' role back to his former El Centro, California CBP sector job, characterized by both outlets as a demotion.
- Notes reporting that Bovino may retire soon, signaling this isn't just a temporary reassignment.
- Adds on‑the‑record Trump White House spin: press secretary Karoline Leavitt insists Bovino was not 'relieved' and will 'continue to lead' CBP broadly, while saying border czar Tom Homan will now run point on Minnesota ICE raids.
- Reiterates that Bovino publicly backed the agent who killed Alex Pretti, calling 'the victims the Border Patrol agents' and refusing to identify the shooter — context for why he’s become a political and legal liability.