Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino Heads Back to El Centro Post-Minneapolis

Greg Bovino, a longtime Border Patrol leader, is going back to his old job as chief of the El Centro sector in California. This change comes right after tensions boiled over in Minneapolis from a fatal shooting by federal agents and ongoing immigration enforcement efforts there.

Background

Greg Bovino started his career with the Border Patrol in 1996 after training at the academy in New Mexico. He got his first posting in El Paso, Texas, where he worked on tactical operations. Over the years, he moved up through stations in Yuma, Arizona, and Blythe, California. By 2008, he was an assistant chief in Yuma and took charge of a station in Blythe soon after.

In 2010, Bovino led a short raid on bus and airport spots in Las Vegas. The operation stopped quickly after local pushback. He later became chief of the New Orleans sector in 2019 and then El Centro in 2021. He left El Centro in 2023 but kept working on enforcement actions, including one in California's Central Valley that a judge later called illegal.

When Donald Trump took office again in 2025, Bovino stepped into bigger roles. He commanded a large raid in Los Angeles in June that led to protests. Then he moved to Chicago for Operation Midway Blitz, an ICE effort. These jobs put him in the public eye, especially on social media. By October 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called him commander-at-large, a role outside the usual chain where he reported straight to her. He worked with Corey Lewandowski, a Trump advisor, on changes at ICE.

Bovino showed up in places like Charlotte, North Carolina, and New Orleans. In Minneapolis, things got heated. Earlier protests there followed the death of Renée Good, an American citizen killed in a federal operation. Bovino was part of the team there with Noem and others handling ICE work.

Key Details

The shift for Bovino comes days after a shooting on Saturday in Minneapolis. Federal agents, including Border Patrol, faced off with Alex Pretti during clashes. Videos show agents using pepper spray on Pretti and pinning him down before one shot him dead. It was the second such fatal incident with federal agents in the city this month.

The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti came at agents with a 9mm handgun and fought when they tried to take it. They claimed he had extra magazines and planned harm. Bovino called it a possible massacre. Noem said Pretti was waving the gun. FBI Director Kash Patel even said carrying a gun to a protest breaks the law.

Disputes Over the Shooting

Local leaders disagree. They say Pretti had a legal concealed carry permit. ABC News checked videos that show Pretti holding a cell phone to record agents, not drawing a gun. Bystanders captured footage right after where he has a phone in hand following a shove on a woman.

A judge had earlier blocked some ICE tactics, like tear gas, after finding Bovino not truthful about risks from protesters and reporters. This added to the strain in Minneapolis.

President Trump announced on Monday he is sending Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis. Homan will skip the usual chain and report to Trump directly. Trump said Homan knows people there and is tough but fair. This happens as Bovino and some agents leave the city. Noem and Lewandowski met Trump for nearly two hours that day at her request. Her position looks safe.

A Homeland Security official, Tricia McLaughlin, put out a statement Monday.

"[Bovino] has NOT been relieved of his duties… [He is a] key part of the President’s team and a great American."

Sources say the commander-at-large spot was always temporary. Bovino will resume as El Centro chief.

What This Means

Bovino's return to El Centro pulls him from the national spotlight and high-pressure operations in big cities. El Centro covers a busy stretch of the California border with Mexico. His experience there from 2021 fits the steady enforcement needs along that line.

In Minneapolis, Homan's arrival signals a direct White House hand in the ICE push. The city has seen back-to-back fatal shootings and protests over federal tactics. Local and state officials keep clashing with the federal side on use of force and legal rights. Protests picked up after Pretti's death, with questions about agent training and rules in tense spots.

The broader immigration enforcement under Trump has led to raids in Los Angeles, Chicago, and now heavy focus in Minneapolis. Bovino's moves show how leaders shift between border sectors and urban operations. His Chicago and LA roles drew threats, including one man charged with plotting against him.

Noem stays in charge at Homeland Security, overseeing these efforts. The meeting with Trump suggests coordination at the top amid the heat. For Border Patrol agents, pulling some from Minneapolis means adjusting teams as Homan takes over.

Pretti's family and locals call for probes into the shooting. Federal reviews are underway, but disputes over video evidence and statements linger. This could shape how agents handle crowds and armed people going forward.

Bovino's career spans decades of patrols, raids, and leadership. Back in El Centro, he returns to a familiar role amid national debates on borders and cities. The Minneapolis operation continues under new eyes, with Trump watching close.