Border Patrol Chief Ousted Amid Minneapolis Shooting Turmoil

In a dramatic turn of events that has left Minneapolis and much of the country on edge, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino and several federal immigration agents are set to leave Minnesota on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. This move, first reported by CNN and later corroborated by NBC News and The Associated Press, comes amid mounting outrage over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in south Minneapolis—a tragedy that has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over federal immigration enforcement and police accountability.

Bovino, who has been the public face of the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge since its launch on December 1, 2025, has not only been removed from his role as Border Patrol commander at large but is expected to return to his former post in El Centro, California, where sources say he will likely retire soon. According to The Atlantic’s Nick Miroff, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is also reportedly “at risk” of losing her job, signaling deeper turmoil within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The departure of Bovino and his agents marks a significant shift in federal law enforcement posture in Minnesota, which has seen an estimated 3,000 agents and investigators deployed as part of Operation Metro Surge. According to Homeland Security, at least 3,000 people have been arrested since the operation began, though official updates have been sparse. The operation, which targeted undocumented Somali residents and was launched against the backdrop of allegations of widespread fraud in Minnesota’s social service programs, has drawn fierce criticism from local officials, civil rights advocates, and congressional Democrats alike.

The situation reached a boiling point after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday, January 24. Pretti, a U.S. citizen, had no criminal record and was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. Video footage analyzed by CNN appears to show a federal agent removing a gun from Pretti’s holster just before the fatal shots were fired. Despite this, Bovino publicly defended the agents involved, stating on CNN’s State of the Union, “The suspect put himself in that situation. The victims are the Border Patrol agents there.”

Federal officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, have asserted that Pretti “approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun” and “violently resisted” attempts to disarm him. Noem further alleged that Pretti intended to “inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement,” though critics have pointed out that no evidence has been provided to support these claims. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described watching a video of the incident as “sickening,” noting, “more than six masked agents [were] pummeling one of our constituents and shooting him to death.” Governor Tim Walz was even more blunt, calling the DHS account “nonsense” and “lies.”

The controversy has only intensified as legal battles unfold. On Monday, January 26, U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez presided over a hearing regarding a lawsuit brought by the state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The suit seeks to halt Operation Metro Surge, reduce the number of federal law enforcement officers to pre-surge levels, and impose limits on enforcement tactics, including prohibiting racial profiling and requiring officers to identify themselves. Judge Menendez expressed skepticism about the federal government’s motives and acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the case, stating, “It’s because this is important that I’m doing everything I can to get it right.”

Attorneys general from 19 states and the District of Columbia have filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Minnesota, warning that “if left unchecked, the federal government will no doubt be emboldened to continue its unlawful conduct in Minnesota and to repeat it elsewhere.” The Trump administration, for its part, has argued that the president possesses “broad authority” to enforce federal immigration law and dismissed the lawsuit as lacking “a shred of legal support.”

Amid the legal wrangling, President Donald Trump has dispatched his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minnesota to take charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The White House announced that Homan would “be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis” and would report directly to the president. Trump himself has used social media to claim that “fraud is at least partially responsible for the violent organized protests going on in the streets,” and has called for state officials to cooperate with federal law enforcement by turning over incarcerated undocumented immigrants and repealing sanctuary city policies.

This federal-local standoff has played out in courtrooms and on the streets. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has made clear that the city “will not participate in unconstitutional arrests of our neighbors or enforce federal immigration law,” though he pledged continued cooperation with state and federal authorities on legitimate criminal investigations. “Violent criminals should be held accountable based on the crimes they commit, not based on where they are from,” Frey said.

Meanwhile, the investigation into Pretti’s death has been marred by allegations of evidence tampering and jurisdictional disputes. The Deputy U.S. Attorney General blamed Minnesota leaders for the compromise of the crime scene, while state authorities accused DHS agents of denying them access even after a search warrant was secured. A temporary restraining order is now in place to prevent federal agencies from destroying or altering evidence related to the shooting.

The killing of Alex Pretti is not an isolated incident. Earlier in January, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, and a Venezuelan man was shot in the leg by an ICE officer during a separate encounter. Each of these cases has been accompanied by conflicting accounts from federal and local officials, as well as public outcry and protests.

Civil rights attorney Areva Martin, speaking to CNN, characterized Pretti’s shooting as “cold-blooded murder” and accused the Trump administration of conducting a “smear campaign” to justify the actions of federal agents. Legal experts and gun rights advocates have also questioned the administration’s narrative, noting that Pretti was a lawful gun owner and that video evidence does not support claims that he posed a threat to law enforcement.

As Minnesota—and the nation—awaits Judge Menendez’s ruling, the events of the past weeks have exposed deep fissures in the relationship between federal and local authorities, and have reignited debates over immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and the limits of executive power. The outcome of this legal and political battle could have far-reaching consequences for how federal law enforcement operates in states and cities across America.

For now, with Bovino’s departure and Homan’s arrival, the spotlight remains fixed on Minnesota, where the search for accountability and justice continues amid uncertainty and unrest.