Gregory Bovino has been removed from his position as commander of the Border Patrol. The Atlantic reports it, citing some sources, according to which Bovino – currently in Minneapolis – will return to his previous position in El Centro, California, and will retire shortly. Bovino’s removal, adds The Atlantic, signals that the Trump administration is reevaluating its tactics following Alex Pretti’s death. The controversial commander of the anti-immigration agents faced criticism over the weekend for declaring that the Second Amendment did not apply to Pretti. Also according to The Atlantic, American National Security Minister Kristi Noem and her advisor Corey Lewandowski are at risk of their jobs after the incident in Minneapolis.
The US Department of Homeland Security denies the news
“Bovino has not been relieved of his duties,” the department’s deputy secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in X, reiterating the White House’s message that Bovino “is a critical part of the president’s team and a great American.” The comments follow an article in The Atlantic magazine reporting that Bovino would be removed from his role as commanding general of the Border Patrol and will return to his previous department post in California. The publication got the story from a Department of Homeland Security official and two people familiar with the demotion. Bovino’s removal, if confirmed, would mean a dramatic shift in Trump’s approach to the aggressive tactics used in Minneapolis, where Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, on Saturday.