The Trump administration is reshaping the leadership of its immigration enforcement campaign in Minnesota after a second fatal shooting by federal officers intensified political backlash and legal scrutiny. Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander who oversaw the Minneapolis operation, is expected to depart the city on Tuesday as the White House installs a new chain of command and reduces the visible federal presence.
President Donald Trump announced that his longtime border adviser, Tom Homan, will take direct control of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, reporting straight to the White House. The shift follows mounting criticism of Bovino’s handling of the operation, particularly after he publicly characterized Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse killed by Border Patrol agents over the weekend, as someone allegedly planning violence against law enforcement. Authorities have not substantiated that claim, and it quickly drew condemnation from local officials and civil rights groups.
Pretti’s death, which followed the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, has become a flashpoint in Minneapolis. Together, the shootings have fueled protests, strained relations between federal and local authorities, and accelerated a series of lawsuits aimed at halting or scaling back the enforcement surge known as Operation Metro Surge.
People familiar with the matter said Bovino is among several federal officials leaving the city as the administration reassesses its approach. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he urged Trump during a phone call to end the surge, adding that the president acknowledged the situation could not continue in its current form. Frey said he plans to press for the removal of additional officials involved in the operation.
Trump also spoke with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat with whom he has often clashed. Both described the conversation as constructive, a notable change in tone. Walz emphasized the need for impartial investigations into the shootings and said the state continues to cooperate with lawful federal requests involving individuals already in custody. Trump, for his part, reiterated that his administration is focused on identifying criminal suspects held by the state.
As leadership changes unfold, the legal battle over the federal presence is intensifying. A federal judge is weighing requests from Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to temporarily halt the immigration crackdown. During a hearing, the judge questioned whether the operation was being used to punish the state and cities for sanctuary policies and expressed concern about the scope of executive authority under immigration law.
State and city attorneys argued that conditions on the ground have become untenable, citing repeated confrontations, the use of force against protesters, and a growing climate of fear. The Justice Department countered that the federal government is lawfully enforcing immigration statutes and that one enforcement action should not be used to undermine another.
In a related ruling earlier this year, the same judge barred federal officers from detaining or using tear gas on peaceful protesters who are not obstructing enforcement activities. An appeals court later indicated that decision may not survive review, underscoring the unsettled legal terrain surrounding the crackdown.
Despite Bovino’s expected departure, protests continued Monday outside a downtown hotel where demonstrators believed he was staying. Whistles, pots, and improvised noisemakers echoed as police maintained a perimeter.
The White House said Homan will now serve as the primary on-the-ground authority during ongoing operations. Court filings indicate roughly 2,000 ICE officers and at least 1,000 Border Patrol agents remain deployed in Minnesota, though the lawsuit seeks to reduce those numbers to pre-surge levels.
