Minneapolis live updates: White House distances Trump from ‘assassin’ comments
A senior Border Patrol commander and some agents are expected to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The departure of Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who has been at the center of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement surge in cities nationwide, comes as President Donald Trump dispatched border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to take charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
The person familiar with the matter was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the operation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
Bovino’s departure marks a significant public shift in federal law enforcement posture amid mounting outrage over the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents.
His leadership of highly visible federal crackdowns, including operations that sparked mass demonstrations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and Minneapolis, has drawn fierce criticism from local officials, civil rights advocates and congressional Democrats.
Criticism has increased around Bovino in the last few days after his public defense of the Pretti shooting and disputed claims about the confrontation that led to his death.
Here’s what to know:
- White House distances Trump from ‘assassin’ remarks: Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller has had labeled Pretti “an assassin” and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said he engaged in “domestic terrorism.” When asked about the comments during a news briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed that Trump hadn’t used such words.
- Judge to rule on Minneapolis immigration crackdown: A federal judge heard arguments on whether she should at least temporarily halt the immigration crackdown in Minnesota. She said the case was a priority, though issued no immediate ruling.
- Democrats vow to oppose homeland security funds: Democratic senators are vowing to oppose a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security following the shooting death of 37-year-old Pretti, a stand that increases the prospect of a partial government shutdown by the end of the week.
- Trump says he had a ‘very good call’ with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz: The president said the two will work together on immigration issues in Minnesota — an abrupt shift from Trump, who frequently derides Walz and other Democratic officials on the matter. In previous social posts, Trump blamed Democrats for encouraging people to obstruct law enforcement operations.
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