Greg Bovino Defends Minneapolis Deportation Operation Amid Lawsuits

Greg Bovino, the former Border Patrol official who led the federal deportation initiative in Minneapolis, is standing by the mission even as the government pulled its agents back. In an interview on Friday, October 24, 2026, Bovino criticized the decision to withdraw hundreds of agents from Minnesota, labeling the move a failure. He declined to address pending legal action regarding the death of a local woman, stating that he was not responding to the matter.

Bovino, 56, held the position of public face for the enforcement operation until shortly after two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed in January. Video recordings of both shootings sparked protests and criticism from both political parties. President Donald Trump subsequently announced a reduction in pressure, leading to the removal of approximately 700 immigration agents from the state. Tom Homan, the White House border tsar, assumed responsibility for the operation following the personnel reduction.

Regarding the withdrawal of federal personnel, Bovino asserted that the administration abandoned the effort. Speaking in Detroit while campaigning for stricter immigration enforcement, he stated that the administration "threw the towel in" and that deportation activities have come to a "virtual standstill." Bovino expressed regret over not increasing pressure in Minnesota to arrest more undocumented immigrants during the operation. He characterized the officers involved as the "real victims" of a mission that he claimed experienced the highest level of violence ever seen in a US law enforcement mission.

Earlier this month, the family of Renee Good filed two civil lawsuits against the administration. The filings allege wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with the civil rights of protesters. One lawsuit names several senior officials, including Bovino and Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good, for their individual roles in the operation. The plaintiffs argue that the mission created an environment that allowed for state-sponsored violence.

Bovino declined to discuss the lawsuits, stating, "people do lawsuits all the time" and noting he was not responding to the action. A White House spokeswoman has previously dismissed the legal filings as baseless. Lawyers for the Good family rejected Bovino's comments, accusing him of spreading propaganda and stating that he cannot act as judge, jury and executioner. They added that their legal team looks forward to taking depositions from Bovino and all defendants named in the case.

Regarding the shootings, Bovino maintains that the video evidence supports the government's account. When questioned about whether the footage contradicted claims that Good and Pretti intended to harm agents, he disagreed. "The evidence is that violence was perpetrated against agents of the US government, and this is a society of laws and people need to follow the law," Bovino said. President Trump initially described Good's actions as violent and willful, but later called her death a tragedy, acknowledging that agents sometimes make mistakes.

Bovino was removed from his role shortly after the shootings in January. When asked about the reasons for his departure, he responded, "You'd have to ask the administration. I still haven't gotten the final word on that." Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary during the operation, was fired by Trump in March. Bovino has since retired from the Border Patrol.

Bovino has advocated for total spectrum immigration enforcement supported by the military. A White House spokesperson stated that Trump delivered the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history. Bovino also suggested he might explore a presidential run in 2028, stating that if politicians do not do their job, people might see something happen.