Ex-Border Chief Calls Minneapolis Operation Withdrawal a 'Surrender'

Former US Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino has described the withdrawal of agents from Minneapolis earlier this year as a "surrender" by the Trump administration, defending the controversial operation he publicly fronted. In an interview with the BBC, Bovino also addressed a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman killed during the operation, dismissing it as something "people do all the time" and praising the officers involved.

Bovino, 56, was removed from his role shortly after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January. The incidents, captured on video, led to bipartisan backlash and widespread protests. President Trump subsequently announced a partial de-escalation, withdrawing hundreds of immigration agents from the city.

Last month, Good's family filed two civil lawsuits against the Trump administration. The suits allege wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with the civil rights of protesters, naming officials including Bovino and the agent who shot Good, Jonathan Ross. One suit claims the Minneapolis operation created "an unprecedented environment for state-sponsored violence."

Lawyers for the family responded to Bovino's remarks by stating he was "spewing propaganda" and lacked the authority to be "judge, jury, and executioner." They added that their legal team anticipates depositions for Bovino and other defendants.

Speaking in Detroit during a campaign event focused on stricter immigration enforcement, Bovino stated the administration "threw the towel in" and advocated for increased deportations, which he noted have largely halted. He expressed regret for not having "gone harder in Minnesota and arresting even more illegal aliens."

Bovino characterized his agents in Minneapolis as the "real victims" of what he called "the most violence that any law enforcement mission ever in the history of the United States has been up against." He contested suggestions that video evidence contradicted his claim that Good and Pretti intended to harm agents, stating, "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. If not, there are consequences."

Initially, President Trump blamed Good's actions for her death, asserting she "violently, willfully and viciously ran over the ICE officer." Weeks later, he referred to the incident as a "tragedy" and acknowledged that agents might "make a mistake."

The withdrawal from Minnesota involved approximately 700 immigration agents and led to Bovino's reassignment. The operation was then overseen by Tom Homan, the White House's 'border tsar'. When asked about his removal, Bovino told the BBC, "You'd have to ask the administration. I still haven't gotten the final word on that."