Former Chief Calls Minneapolis Withdrawal a Surrender as 700 Agents Exit

Approximately 700 immigration agents left Minnesota in January after President Donald Trump ordered a de-escalation of the deportation drive in Minneapolis.

The withdrawal followed the deaths of two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot by officers during the operation. Video of the shootings sparked bipartisan backlash and widespread protests across the city.

Greg Bovino, the former US border patrol chief who led the effort, described the subsequent pullout of forces as a surrender by the Trump administration. He made these remarks during an interview with the BBC, where he defended the aggressive tactics used during the campaign.

Bovino stated that the administration threw the towel in, leaving deportations at a virtual standstill. He expressed regret for not arresting more illegal aliens in Minnesota and labeled his agents the real victims of what he called the most violence faced by any law enforcement mission in US history.

Earlier this month, the family of Renee Good filed two civil lawsuits against the administration. The suits allege wrongful death and a conspiracy to interfere with the civil rights of protesters. One complaint names Bovino and Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good, for their individual roles in the operation.

The legal team for Good's family accused Bovino of spewing propaganda in response to his comments. They noted that he could not serve as judge, jury, and executioner while the case proceeds. The lawyers said they look forward to the depositions of Bovino and all other defendants named in the matter.

Bovino, 56, was removed from his post shortly after the January shootings. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary at the time, was fired by Trump in March. Bovino has since retired from the border patrol but remains active in immigration politics.

During the interview, Bovino rejected the idea that video evidence contradicted his claim that Good and Pretti intended to harm agents. He argued that violence was perpetrated against US government agents and that society is one of laws with consequences for breaking them. Trump initially described Good as having run over an ICE officer willfully and viciously, but later called her death a tragedy.

The former chief is now campaigning in Detroit for tougher enforcement measures. He has called for total spectrum immigration enforcement backed by the military and claimed 100 million people are in the US illegally. He also suggested he might explore a presidential run in 2028 if politicians do not step up to do their jobs.

A White House spokeswoman previously dismissed the Good family's lawsuits as baseless. The administration maintains that President Trump has delivered the largest reduction in illegal immigration in modern history, with more than 3 million people leaving the country due to his policies.