what happened to greg bovino
Greg Bovino has been removed from his high-profile role as the U.S. Border Patrol’s “commander at large” and is being sent back to his previous Border Patrol post in El Centro, California, where he is widely expected to retire soon.
What happened to Greg Bovino?
Gregory “Greg” Bovino rose to national prominence as the public face of Donald Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown, leading aggressive federal operations in cities such as Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, and especially Minneapolis. He fronted press conferences, appeared frequently on camera with his tactical “Mean Green Team,” and positioned himself as a combative defender of the administration’s immigration agenda.
His downfall followed a particularly explosive stretch in Minneapolis, where Border Patrol agents under his watch were involved in fatal shootings, including the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, which sparked national outrage, protests, and deep criticism of the administration’s tactics. After a disastrous press conference where he visibly struggled with basic questions about the shooting, critics and commentators cast him as emblematic of a reckless, politicized enforcement strategy.
Official status: demoted or just “reassigned”?
Public reporting converges on the same outcome: Bovino is out as “commander at large” and is being sent back to El Centro.
Key points:
- The Atlantic and Reuters report that he has been dismissed/removed from the commander-at-large role and will return to his old El Centro position, where officials expect him to retire in the near future.
- ABC News emphasizes that the commander-at-large role was always technically temporary and quotes a DHS assistant secretary insisting that he “has NOT been relieved of his duties” and calling him a “key part of the President’s team.”
- Despite that softer official framing, the timing — immediately after the Minneapolis shootings and public backlash — is widely interpreted as a demotion and political sidelining rather than a routine rotation.
In other words, formally he is being “returned” to his prior post; practically, he has lost his national, high-visibility command and is being parked in a back-to-base role until retirement.
Why did this happen?
Several overlapping factors drove the shift:
- Minneapolis shootings and public outrage
Bovino’s team was at the center of at least two fatal shootings connected to immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, including the killing of Alex Pretti. These incidents triggered protests, intense media scrutiny, and questions about rules of engagement and accountability.
- Highly politicized public role
Bovino cultivated a public persona — traveling with his own film crew, sparring with Democratic officials online, and using militarized imagery — that made many career officials at ICE and CBP uncomfortable. His visibility turned him into a political symbol of the crackdown, making him an obvious focal point when things went wrong.
- Backlash inside and outside government
Reporting describes unease among veteran officials who felt he blurred lines in the chain of command and enjoyed the spotlight more than the institutional norms allowed. Legal commentators and critics highlighted lawsuits, discovery, and public records as building a paper trail that made continued elevation of Bovino politically costly.
- Shift in Trump’s strategy tone
After the Minneapolis crisis, Donald Trump signaled a softer tone, saying he was “on a wavelength” with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and bringing in border “czar” Tom Homan to take over the federal operation there. That move effectively replaced Bovino as the face of the crackdown in Minneapolis.
How people are reacting online
Public and forum reactions are sharply divided but trending negative for Bovino:
- Progressive commentators and some legal analysts frame his removal as “inevitable” and the result of sustained exposure, litigation, and documentation of abuses.
- Critical YouTube and social-media commentary mocks his flight from tough questions at the Minneapolis press conference and portrays his exit as overdue accountability for cruelty and incompetence.
- On Reddit and other forums, many users celebrate news that he is losing his broader command role and hope this signals a broader pullback from the harshest tactics.
- Supporters of the administration, and DHS’s own official statements, try to frame the move as a normal reassignment and emphasize his continued role as a “great American” and part of the President’s team.
This mix of official defensiveness and public criticism is part of why the story is trending under queries like “what happened to Greg Bovino” and “latest news” — people are trying to reconcile the government’s language of “reassignment” with reporting that clearly describes a fall from power.
Timeline at a glance
Here is a compact timeline of what happened to Greg Bovino as reported so far:
| Date | Event | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Bovino temporarily removed from a prior command after critical testimony and controversial social media activity. | [9]Early sign of tension between his persona and institutional norms. | [9]
| 2024–2025 | Rises as the public “face” of Trump’s immigration crackdown, leading operations in major cities. | [1][9]Builds a high-profile, politicized image, making him a lightning rod. | [1][9]
| Late 2025 | Leads controversial operation in Chicago before moving on; media satire and criticism increase. | [10]Public skepticism about his tactics and image deepens. | [10]
| January 2026 (early) | Commands operations in Minneapolis during aggressive immigration enforcement; fatal shootings occur, including the killing of Alex Pretti. | [6][7][9][1]National outrage, protests, and intense scrutiny of Border Patrol tactics. | [6][7][9][1]
| January 25, 2026 | Disastrous press conference where Bovino struggles to answer questions and abruptly ends the briefing. | [6]Viral moment that damages his credibility and public image. | [6]
| January 26–27, 2026 | Multiple outlets report he has been removed as “commander at large” and sent back to El Centro, expected to retire; DHS insists he has “not been relieved of his duties.” | [5][7][3][1]Effectively ends his national, front-line role and sidelines him from the spotlight. | [7][3][5][1]
Bottom line
If you are searching “what happened to Greg Bovino” right now, the current picture is:
- He has been removed from his high-profile national commander-at-large role.
- He is being sent back to his prior El Centro sector chief job.
- Officials publicly say he remains part of the President’s team, but reporting and timing strongly suggest a demotion driven by the Minneapolis shootings, political backlash, and internal discomfort with his highly politicized style.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
