Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino Returning to CA, Tom Homan to Lead MN Operations

Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino is returning to California, where he previously led immigration enforcement in the El Centro sector, while "border czar" Tom Homan will take over leading Customs and Border Patrol operations in Minnesota.

The Details: In October, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem had called Bovino "commander at large" of Border Patrol, a rank that had no statutory basis. The job was outside the command structure of the Border Patrol, and Bovino reported directly to Noem. He was removed from this role on Monday and plans to retire soon after returning to his post in California. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump announced that Tom Homan would be leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota, soon after "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade suggested the idea.

Key Quote: "He [Bovino] is going to very much continue to lead Customs and Border Patrol, throughout and across the country," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. "Mr. Homan will be the main point of contact on the ground in Minneapolis to follow up." 

For Context: Bovino's departure, along with several other border patrol agents, comes amid violent clashes between anti-ICE protesters and federal authorities that have so far resulted in the fatal shooting of two American citizens.

How the Media Covered It: The Atlantic (Lean Left bias) reported that Bovino was being relieved of his duties as "commander at large" while Forbes (Center) reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was denying this, saying Bovino was just leaving Minnesota and would still lead Border Patrol. Fox News (Right) reported that opponents of Trump's deportation campaign have criticized Bovino over tactics used by border patrol agents to apprehend criminal illegal aliens. Some sources on the left see Bovino's departure as a sign that the Trump administration is reconsidering some of their "aggressive tactics" after the killing Saturday of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by border patrol agents.

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