Senior U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who has led the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis, is expected to leave the city in the coming days, sources say. The move comes amid widespread protests and intense political scrutiny following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a federal agent during an enforcement operation. 

Bovino became the public face of “Operation Metro Surge”, a deployment of thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents in the city. Critics argue that the operation escalated tensions, and that federal officials provided misleading accounts of Pretti’s shooting. Video evidence circulated online shows Pretti unarmed at the time he was shot, contradicting official statements. 

Even with Bovino’s departure and the reassignment of some agents, Minneapolis has entered a tense standstill. Protests continue, with demonstrators demanding the end of the federal surge. Local and state leaders, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have called for a scale-down of federal enforcement, while federal operations continue under new leadership, creating an impasse between local authorities and the Trump administration. 

The Trump administration has reassigned Bovino and some agents but emphasized that immigration enforcement will continue under revised leadership. Tom Homan, former acting ICE director and known as the administration’s “border czar,” has been deployed to oversee operations in Minneapolis directly. 

President Trump described discussions with Minnesota officials as “productive” and indicated that the federal presence may be recalibrated rather than fully withdrawn. Critics, however, say this does little to address long-standing concerns over civil liberties, use-of-force practices, and immigration enforcement policy. (WSJ)

Family members of Alex Pretti have called for independent investigations, stating that the federal account of the shooting is misleading. Protest organizers have vowed to continue demonstrations until federal enforcement is scaled back. 

Legal experts warn that the Minneapolis case could set important precedents for how far federal authorities can operate in urban areas without violating local law or constitutional protections. 

Bovino’s exit signals a shift in federal tactics, but the situation remains unresolved. Federal enforcement continues, protests persist, and legal challenges loom — creating a political and operational standstill. Minneapolis remains a focal point in the national debate over immigration policy, use of force, and federal authority in cities.

Sources: AP News, The Guardian, Reuters, PBS, The Wall Street Journal, SF Chronicle