Former Border Chief Details 700-Agent Withdrawal and 2028 Presidential Interest

Federal agents pulled out of Minnesota in large numbers after two US citizens were killed during immigration operations, a move the former border patrol chief now characterizes as an admission of defeat. Greg Bovino, who led the enforcement effort in Minneapolis, told the BBC that the administration effectively threw in the towel. This withdrawal left roughly 700 officers back in the state, halting the rapid pace of deportations that had defined the initial phase of the campaign.

Bovino stated that deportation efforts have reached a virtual standstill since the personnel changes. He expressed regret that he did not arrest more individuals during his tenure. The former chief described his agents as the primary victims of what he called the most violent confrontation law enforcement had faced in the country. He maintained that video footage supported his claim that Renee Good and Alex Pretti intended to harm officers, despite public debate over the evidence.

The two shootings occurred in January and were captured on video. Both victims were US citizens. The incidents triggered widespread protests and criticism across political lines. President Donald Trump initially described Good as running over an officer violently and willfully. Weeks later, he referred to her death as a tragedy and acknowledged that agents sometimes make mistakes. The White House subsequently removed hundreds of agents from the city and assigned Tom Homan to oversee the remaining operations.

Legal challenges have intensified since the withdrawals. The family of Renee Good filed two civil lawsuits earlier this month against the administration. The filings allege wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with the civil rights of protesters. The suit names Bovino and Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good, for their individual roles in the operation. A White House spokeswoman previously dismissed the claims as baseless. Family lawyers responded to Bovino’s comments by saying he could not act as judge, jury, and executioner in his own case.

Bovino, now 56, was removed from his post shortly after the January shootings. He has since retired from the border patrol. When asked about the reason for his departure, he said he had not received a final explanation from the administration. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary during the operation, was fired by President Trump in March. Bovino is currently campaigning in Detroit for stricter immigration enforcement policies.

The former chief has proposed a total spectrum of immigration enforcement supported by the military. He has claimed that 100 million people are in the United States illegally, a figure he has stated without providing supporting evidence. A White House spokesperson countered that the president delivered the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history. The spokesperson noted that more than three million people left the country due to these policies.

Bovino also suggested he is exploring a run for the presidency in 2028. He stated that politicians must step up to do their jobs or he might see something happen. He recently spoke at a far-right rally in Michigan where activists demanded the deportation of Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed is a US-born citizen and a Democratic Senate candidate who would become the first Muslim US senator if he defeats Republican Mike Rogers.