WASHINGTON — Top immigration official Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are scheduled to leave Minneapolis on Tuesday, potentially marking a shift in tone at the White House following the shooting death of a second American by federal agents over the weekend.
The Department of Homeland Security also suspended access to Bovino’s social media accounts.
As Bovino and some immigration agents leave the country, “border czar” Tom Homan will begin leading the effort in Minnesota, where tensions have been high over Saturday’s shooting death of Alex Preti.
President Donald Trump’s decision may signal the administration’s interest in rolling back more aggressive federal action in a nationwide immigration crackdown.
Despite this announcement, online tracking of immigration raids shows the administration’s efforts are still ongoing.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that approximately 3,000 officers and employees from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection are currently conducting immigration operations in the Minneapolis area.
The agency’s response, described in a court filing, comes after a federal judge earlier Monday asked for details on the current scale of Operation Metro Surge.
Bovino became the face of the operation when Preti ended up being shot multiple times on the streets of Minneapolis.
Border Patrol commanders inflamed the situation on the ground after the shooting, claiming Pretti intended to “massacre” federal agents.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said its agents fired in self-defense after Preti, who was allegedly in possession of a handgun, resisted attempts to disarm him on Saturday.
Witnesses, local officials and the victim’s family disputed this account, pointing out that Preti was holding a cellphone, not a weapon. Meanwhile, his parents accused the government of spreading “disgusting lies” about what happened.
Before the shootings, Bovino was a key figure in the Trump administration’s hard-line approach to immigration enforcement in several cities, and was active on social media, regularly filming raids and posting promotional videos showing agents in action.
Homan reports directly to the president and has advocated for Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement. Mr. Homan worked on immigration and deportation during the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama.
Jeh Johnson, who served as Secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration, told CNN he hopes Homan can “de-escalate the situation” in Minnesota.
Tensions and frustration over the presence of federal workers remained high in Minneapolis on Monday, despite news that Bovino and some staff members would resign.
“A lot of people are scared right now because they can’t work, they can’t leave their homes,” said George Cordero, a resident of St. Paul, Minneapolis’ sister city.
Preti became the second Minneapolis resident shot and killed by federal immigration agents since arriving in the city. Renee Nicole Good was killed by Immigration and Customs and Border Protection (ICE) agents on January 7th.
Much of the anger from the city and politicians on both sides of the aisle was directed at Bovino and the Border Patrol agents who were sent to Minneapolis along with ICE agents at President Trump’s direction. In total, there are more than 3,000 immigration officers in the city.
Some media reports on Monday suggested Bovino may have been removed from his post, but Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin disputed that, saying the Border Patrol chief is “an important part of the president’s team and a great American.”
Carol Engelhart, a retired nurse who lives in Minneapolis, said she feels deeply about the events of the past few days.
“We have to care about this country, we have to care about what the Constitution is left with, and if people come together and stand up, we can do this,” he said, condemning the immigration crackdown in the city.
Also on Monday, Trump spoke about the intentions of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democratic leaders who have resisted immigration efforts and called for their officials to be removed from the state. President Trump has criticized both in recent weeks.
Mr. Trump and local leaders described the meeting as positive and said they discussed a way forward, a sign that both sides are looking for ways to resolve the conflict over Mr. Trump’s push for deportation.
Mr. Trump said he was “on the same wavelength” as Mr. Walz and said his targets were “every kind of criminal they have.”
After the call, Walz said, “The president agreed to consider reducing the number of federal employees in Minnesota and to consult with DHS to ensure that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Enforcement can conduct independent investigations as usual.”
Securing an independent investigation into Preti’s death has been a central focus for Walz. Immediately after the incident, local authorities obtained a judicial warrant to enter the crime scene to preserve evidence.
Local officials have criticized the federal investigation and said they have not been allowed access to the crime scene or evidence since Preeti’s death.
Demonstrations against ICE actions and in memory of Preti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse killed over the weekend, continued Monday. More vigils and demonstrations are planned in the coming days.
On Tuesday, Frey said he planned to meet with Homan to “discuss next steps,” proposing the first in-person meeting between federal and local officials since Bonvino announced his resignation. — Agency
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