Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino Relieved Of Post Amid Minnesota Scandal

Border Patrol commander at large Gregory Bovino was relieved of his national duties and returned to his California post on Monday, the latest development in the Trump administration’s response to tensions in Minneapolis.

Bovino, who has been one of the most visible faces of the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, is expected to leave the Twin Cities with several Border Patrol agents this week amid growing backlash over enforcement tactics that ignited protests and political fury in the state. Sources familiar with the matter say federal leadership is recalibrating strategy as the operation transitions to new command.

Bovino’s reassignment comes just hours after President Donald Trump announced that he was dispatching Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis, which has been gripped by unrest after the Saturday killing of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent. As The Daily Wire’s Jennie Taer reported Monday, there is a growing divide in the Trump administration over how to handle deportations, with Homan squaring off against Bovino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Bovino has also been suspended from accessing his official social media accounts, a move confirmed by a source within Homeland Security, CNN reports. The suspension comes after a string of aggressive posts by Bovino defending Border Patrol actions and trading barbs with critics online following Pretti’s death — behavior that drew attention from lawmakers and media alike.

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin pushed back on rumors that Bovino was “relieved of duty,” insisting that he remains employed and will continue to be a part of the agency’s leadership nationally. McLaughlin described Bovino as “a key part of the President’s team” in an X post.

Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As @PressSec stated from the White House podium, @CMDROpAtLargeCA is a key part of the President’s team and a great American. https://t.co/qj3E9B8uzg

— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) January 27, 2026

Bovino is expected to return to California, where he previously served as chief of the Border Patrol’s El Centro Sector. The post covers roughly 70 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, including Imperial and Riverside Counties, and oversees a mix of rural and urban areas with significant immigration activity. El Centro has long been considered a key operational sector for the Border Patrol, making Bovino’s return a prominent assignment even as he leaves the high-profile Minneapolis deployment.

While DHS maintains Bovino’s overall status has not changed, his high‑profile role in Minnesota has been supplanted as the administration seeks to tamp down political fallout and reassert control on strategy and messaging.

Trump on Monday announced that he held productive phone calls with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. In a series of social media posts, Trump said he and Walz had discussed the situation on the ground and were now on “a similar wavelength.”

“We had a good conversation,” Trump wrote, adding that both sides agreed tensions in Minnesota needed to be brought under control.

Walz confirmed the call, saying he urged the administration to de-escalate the federal presence and restore coordination with state and local authorities. “What Minnesota needs right now is calm, clarity, and accountability,” Walz said following the conversation.