CloseThe Department of Homeland Security has denied that Greg Bovino, Border Patrol’s “commander at large,” has been removed from his position, as reported by The Atlantic.
The publication said Monday, citing a DHS official and others familiar with the matter, that Bovino would return to his former role in El Centro, California, after a border patrol agent shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin later said Bovino “has NOT been relieved of his duties” and that he is a “key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Monday he spoke with President Donald Trump and learned some federal agents will leave the city beginning Tuesday. Trump “agreed the present situation can’t continue,” per Frey.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also spoke to Trump on Monday, and said the president agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota.”
Trump said his conversations with Walz and Frey were both “very good.”
This comes after the president announced he’s sending border czar Tom Homan to oversee ICE operations in Minnesota. Trump described Homan as “tough but fair” and said the border czar will report directly to him.
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Federal judges in Minnesota could decide whether to block Homeland Security from investigating the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and pull federal officers from the state altogether, potentially ending Donald Trump’s surge.
Hours after the shooting, Minnesota law enforcement agencies sued to block Homeland Security officials from destroying or altering any evidence related to the shooting. A Trump-appointed judge granted the order later that night.
But lawyers for the Department of Justice want the judge to dissolve the restraining order, insisting that “it’s a federal matter now.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Friedrich Siekert told Judge Eric C. Tostrud on Monday that any state requests for evidence in a potential criminal investigation against the agents who opened fire on Pretti would likely be available through standard public records requests — only after “the conclusion of all federal matters.”
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DOJ wants Minnesota blocked from Alex Pretti evidence as judges take on Trump surge
State officials fight in court to preserve evidence and push for an end to Trump’s ‘invasion’Alex Woodward 27 January 2026 02:05
Tom Homan spends hours at the White House before trip to Minnesota: report
Border Czar Tom Homan spent hours at the White House Monday before his trip to Minneapolis, according to a new report.
NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer wrote on X, “Tom Homan has been at the White House most of the day today, a source within the White House tells me tonight.”
President Donald Trump announced earlier that Homan will travel to Minnesota Monday night.
“He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,” the president wrote on Truth Social Monday morning.
Rachel Dobkin27 January 2026 01:45
Gavin Newsom trolls Trump administration following report that Greg Bovino was ousted
California Governor Gavin Newsom trolled the Trump administration Monday, following a report that Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino was removed from his role as “commander at large.”
“Now do Stephen Miller,” Newsom said, referring to the White House deputy chief of staff known as the architect of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
The Atlantic reported that Bovino would return to his former role in California after another fatal shooting involving a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis this month.
Miller called Alex Pretti a “would-be assassin” who “tried to murder federal law enforcement” after a Border Patrol officer shot and killed the 37-year-old U.S. citizen on Saturday. Miller did not provide evidence to back up his claims.
Pretti had been in a confrontation with federal agents and civilians, which turned lethal when a gun was found in his waistband, according to footage of the incident.
Rachel Dobkin27 January 2026 01:26
Greg Bovino temporarily blocked from his social media accounts: report
The Department of Homeland Security has suspended Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino’s access to his social media accounts, an unnamed source told CNN.
After a Border Patrol officer fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, Bovino had gone on social media to defend his agency.
Rachel Dobkin27 January 2026 01:05
DHS insists Greg Bovino has 'NOT been relieved of his duties'
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said Monday Border Patrol’s Greg Bovino has “NOT been relieved of his duties,” and called him a “key part of the President’s team and a great American.”
This comes following a report from The Atlantic that Bovino was removed from his role as “commander at large.”
Rachel Dobkin27 January 2026 00:45
Full story: Tim Walz claims Trump to consider ‘reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota’ in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
The office of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says Donald Trump is considering withdrawing some federal immigration officers who have surged in the state following a “productive” phone call with the president.
In a statement, the governor said the president agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota” and work with the state “in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals.” At least 2,000 federal officers have surged into Minnesota in recent weeks to carry out Trump’s deportation push.
The statement followed Trump’s claim on Truth Social that he is on a “similar wavelength” with the governor, after growing outrage in the aftermath of another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, where federal officers surging into the state shot and killed a 37-year-old demonstrator.
The statements appear to diffuse months of threats against Walz and other Democratic officials, whom the administration is investigating for allegedly criminally obstructing immigration enforcement in the state.
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Tim Walz and Jacob Frey say Trump will withdraw federal officers in Minnesota
Plans to withdraw and new oversight from Tom Homan follow mass protests, declining public opinion polls, and lawsuits demanding and end to administration’s surgeAlex Woodward27 January 2026 00:30
What is happening with Border Patrol's Gregory Bovino?
There are reports that Border Patrol leader Gregory Bovino is leaving Minneapolis after the deadly shooting of a U.S. citizen involving one of his own agents.
A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Bovino and some other agents are set to leave the city as early as Tuesday.
The Atlanticreported that Bovino has lost his job as “commander at large” and will return to his former role in California, according to a Department of Homeland Security official and two people with knowledge of the matter.
The Independent has reached out to DHS and Border Patrol for comment.
Rachel Dobkin27 January 2026 00:07
Border Patrol chief blames Democrats and journalists for Minneapolis chaos – but dodges questions on fatal shooting
A top Border Control official has blamed Democrats and journalists for the chaos in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of two protesters by federal agents, but dodged questions on whether the agency bore responsibility for the tragedies.
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Border Patrol chief blames Democrats and journalists for Minneapolis chaos
‘When someone chooses to listen to a politician, a so-called journalist… that spouts that type of vilification towards law enforcement or anything else… there are consequences,’ Greg Bovino saysMike Bedigan27 January 2026 00:00
Kristi Noem sees odds of being fired spike on Polymarket in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
Kristi Noem's odds of being the first Trump cabinet member to get fired have surged among political bettors after her attempts to defend the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
On both Polymarket and Kalshi, two popular 'prediction market' sites, the Homeland Security secretary now leads the pack for the question "Who will be the first to leave the Trump Cabinet?"
Having been tipped at only 12 percent probability on January 21, Noem had soared to 40 percent on Kalshi and 43 percent on Polymarket as of Monday afternoon.
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Kristi Noem’s odds of being fired spike on Polymarket in wake of Alex Pretti shooting
The Homeland Security secretary sparked fury by claiming against all visible evidence that Pretti had ‘violently’ attacked federal agents in Minneapolis Io Dodds26 January 2026 23:40
Watch: White House refuses to say if Stephen Miller will apologize for calling Alex Pretti a 'would-be assassin'
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