Washington, D.C. – January 27, 2026 – In a significant leadership shakeup within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Gregory Bovino, a high-profile Border Patrol official, has been removed from his expansive “commander at large” role and reassigned to his former post in El Centro, California. The move comes just days after a controversial shooting incident in Minneapolis that resulted in the death of a U.S. citizen under agents commanded by Bovino. Sources indicate that Bovino is expected to retire shortly after returning to the California sector.
Bovino’s reassignment follows his involvement in overseeing operations that operated outside traditional channels since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025. In this capacity, Bovino had been granted broad authority to coordinate enforcement activities across various regions, often bypassing standard protocols to align with the administration’s aggressive immigration policies.
The catalyst for this change appears to be the January 24, 2026, shooting of Alex Pretti, a 32-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, during a raid in Minneapolis. According to eyewitness accounts and video footage that has circulated widely online, Pretti intervened in what he believed was an excessive use of force by Border Patrol agents. The video reportedly shows agents disarming Pretti before shooting him in the back, leading to his immediate death at the scene.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, including protests in Minneapolis and other major cities, calls for federal investigations, and renewed debates over the Border Patrol’s expanded role in domestic enforcement under the current administration. Bovino’s social media accounts were suspended in the aftermath, amid allegations of inflammatory posts that defended the agents’ actions.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and White House officials have emphasized that Bovino was not fired, describing the reassignment as a routine administrative adjustment. “Chief Bovino has served with distinction and will continue to contribute his expertise in El Centro,” a DHS spokesperson stated in a press release. “This move allows for fresh leadership in key operational areas while honoring his long career.”
The leadership vacuum in Minnesota has been filled by Tom Homan, a veteran immigration enforcer and former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Homan, known for his hardline stance on immigration, is expected to assume oversight of the operations previously managed by Bovino, signaling potential continuity in the administration’s enforcement priorities despite the controversy.
Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have condemned the shooting and called for an independent probe. “This tragedy highlights the dangers of unchecked authority granted to Border Patrol in non-border regions,” said ACLU spokesperson Maria Valdez. “The video evidence is damning, and accountability must extend beyond mere reassignments.”
Pretti’s family has retained legal counsel and is preparing a wrongful death lawsuit against CBP. “Alex was a hero who saved lives every day in the ICU,” his sister, Elena Pretti, said in a statement. “He stepped in to protect others, and this is how he was repaid. We demand justice.”
As investigations unfold, the incident raises broader questions about the militarization of immigration enforcement and the safeguards in place to protect U.S. citizens during such operations. Bovino’s return to El Centro marks the end of an era for his unconventional command style, but the repercussions of the Minneapolis shooting are likely to linger in the national discourse on border security and civil liberties.
