Trump Sends Tom Homan To Take Command In Minneapolis
Tom Homan will take operational command in Minneapolis after Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was pulled from at-large duties.
Overview
President Donald Trump dispatched White House border czar Tom Homan to take operational command in Minneapolis and ordered Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino out of at-large duties, senior administration officials said Jan. 26.
The leadership change follows the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good amid mass protests around Operation Metro Surge deployments, court records and reporting show.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin posted on X on Jan. 26 that "Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties," statements that conflicted with other administration and media reports, officials confirmed.
Operation Metro Surge deployed about 2,000 ICE officers and at least 1,000 Border Patrol agents and has produced roughly 3,400 arrests, prompting lawsuits and political backlash, court filings and reporting show.
Immigrant-rights advocates called Bovino's removal a small victory while experts warned it may be damage control, and U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez has prioritized litigation that could limit federal tactics, lawyers said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as administration damage control, emphasizing protests, fatal shootings, and falling poll support while foregrounding expert and civil‑liberties criticism. They highlight video evidence that contradicts official claims, prioritize activists' and legal critics' perspectives, and cast the leadership change as tactical optics rather than a substantive policy shift.
Sources (35)
FAQ
Tom Homan is Trump's border czar, a 64-year-old career immigration official who started as a Border Patrol agent in 1984, led ICE during Trump's first term, and advocates a targeted deportation approach focusing on criminals.
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was pulled from at-large duties in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 and backlash over his unsubstantiated claim that Pretti planned to 'massacre' officers, amid protests against Operation Metro Surge.
Operation Metro Surge is a federal immigration enforcement operation deploying about 2,000 ICE officers and 1,000 Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, resulting in roughly 3,400 arrests but sparking protests, lawsuits, and two fatal shootings.
The change followed the Jan. 24 fatal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti by immigration officers while filming them, and the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, both amid protests over Operation Metro Surge deployments.
Tom Homan will take operational command of ICE operations in Minneapolis, manage on-the-ground enforcement targeting criminal illegal aliens, coordinate fraud investigations, and report directly to President Trump.
History
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