Former US Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino has criticised the federal government's decision to pull immigration agents out of Minneapolis earlier this year, describing the retreat as a surrender.
Bovino, 56, led the contentious deportation operation until his removal following the fatal January shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The killings, captured on video, caused broad public protests and prompted President Donald Trump to announce a de-escalation that saw approximately 700 agents withdrawn from Minnesota.
Speaking in Detroit, where he was advocating for stricter immigration enforcement, Bovino said the administration "threw the towel in" and asserted that deportations had slowed significantly. He maintained that his officers faced historic levels of violence during the deployment and said he regretted not arresting more people during the operation.
Bovino also brushed aside legal action brought earlier this month by Good's relatives. The family filed two civil lawsuits against the administration alleging wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with protesters' civil rights, claiming the operation created an environment of state-sponsored violence. The legal filings name Bovino and Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good.
Bovino dismissed the litigation and said "people do lawsuits all the time." In response, attorneys representing Good's family accused him of "spewing propaganda" and stated they looked forward to questioning him and the other named defendants under oath. A White House spokeswoman previously called the lawsuits baseless.
Bovino retired from the border agency after being replaced in Minnesota by White House border official Tom Homan. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was also dismissed by Trump in March following the operation.
Addressing Bovino's comments, a White House spokesperson credited the president's measures with prompting more than three million undocumented immigrants to leave the country. Bovino has since floated a potential presidential bid in 2028.
