Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who has been a prominent figure in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the city, is departing Minneapolis along with some federal agents. He will be replaced on the ground by Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border enforcement chief, who will now lead operations and report directly to the president.
The move comes after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, who was killed by federal immigration agents on Saturday during an enforcement operation. The incident sharply escalated tensions in the city and triggered widespread protests.
The change in leadership may signal the administration’s desire to step back from a more confrontational posture, even as online tracking data suggests immigration raids have continued.
In recent days, there have been additional signs of a shift in tone from the White House. President Trump has held phone calls with Democratic city and state leaders, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, describing the conversations as positive after previously attacking them publicly. The president has also avoided repeating language used by some of his senior aides that sought to place blame on Pretti for the shooting.
Pressure on the administration is mounting from both Democrats and Republicans. Several prominent Republicans have joined calls for a broad, independent investigation into the killing. On Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel withdrew from Minnesota’s governor’s race, calling the federal operation an “unmitigated disaster.”
Madel, a defence lawyer, has previously advised the agent who earlier this month shot and killed another Minneapolis resident, Renee Good, during a separate immigration enforcement operation.
Bovino had been the public face of the operation when Pretti, described as an observer filming federal agents, became involved in a confrontation that ended with him being shot multiple times. Bovino claimed Pretti intended to “massacre” federal agents, a statement that further inflamed protests.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said agents fired in self-defence after Pretti resisted attempts to disarm him, alleging he was carrying a handgun. That account has been disputed by eyewitnesses, local officials and Pretti’s family, who say he was holding a phone, not a weapon. BBC Verify analysis of available video footage found no sign of a gun in Pretti’s hand.
Pretti’s parents have accused the administration of spreading “sickening lies” about their son’s death.
Although some media reports suggested Bovino had been removed from his post, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin denied this, calling him “a key part of the president’s team and a great American.”
Homan, who has decades of experience in immigration enforcement and served under former President Barack Obama, supports Trump’s aggressive immigration policies but is seen as a more seasoned operational figure.
Tensions remained high in Minneapolis on Monday as protests and vigils continued. Residents described fear and disruption caused by the heavy federal presence, with around 3,000 immigration agents currently deployed in the city.
Pretti was the second Minneapolis resident killed by federal immigration officers since their arrival in Minnesota. Renee Good was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on 7 January.
Governor Walz said Trump had agreed to consider reducing the number of federal agents in the state and to allow the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to conduct an independent investigation. Securing such an investigation has been a key demand of local officials, who previously accused federal authorities of blocking access to evidence.
Mayor Frey said he hopes to meet Homan on Tuesday to discuss next steps.
The immigration crackdown in Minneapolis began in December after the conviction of several Somali immigrants in a major welfare fraud case. Minnesota is home to the largest Somali immigrant community in the United States.
As scrutiny intensifies, senior Republicans including Senators Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and John Curtis have urged the administration to take a more measured approach and ensure transparency and accountability in the investigation into Pretti’s death.
