Former Border Patrol Chief Bovino Retires Amid Controversy

Gregory Bovino, known for aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, steps down after high-profile incidents in major cities.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:21am

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Gregory Bovino, a longtime Border Patrol agent who became a face of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, has confirmed plans to retire in the coming weeks. Bovino rose through the ranks and led controversial enforcement operations in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis that involved tactics like smashing car windows, using chemical agents on demonstrators, and conducting helicopter raids. His aggressive approach drew criticism from civil rights groups and a federal judge, who ordered him to provide daily briefings on how his agents were enforcing the law. Bovino is retiring as chief of the Border Patrol's El Centro, California sector, a position he has held since 2020.

Why it matters

Bovino's retirement marks the end of an era for the Trump administration's hardline immigration enforcement tactics, which were criticized by civil liberties groups as overly aggressive and in violation of constitutional rights. His high-profile actions in major cities brought national attention to the Border Patrol's expanding role away from the border itself, raising questions about the appropriate scope and methods of immigration enforcement.

The details

Bovino joined the Border Patrol in 1996 and steadily rose through the ranks. He became commander of the administration's crackdown in Los Angeles last June, leading operations that resulted in thousands of arrests, often near locations like Home Depots and car washes. Bovino's tactics, which included smashing car windows and using chemical agents on demonstrators, drew widespread criticism. He later took his enforcement efforts to other cities like Chicago and Minneapolis, where he led a helicopter raid at a large apartment building and was accused of lying about using force against protesters.

  • Bovino joined the Border Patrol in 1996.
  • Bovino became commander of immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles in June 2025.
  • Bovino was reassigned from Minnesota in late January 2026, shortly after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
  • Bovino is retiring in the coming weeks from his position as chief of the Border Patrol's El Centro, California sector, a role he has held since 2020.

The players

Gregory Bovino

A 55-year-old longtime Border Patrol agent who became known for leading aggressive immigration enforcement operations in major cities under the Trump administration.

Donald Trump

The former president who oversaw the administration's hardline immigration policies that Bovino helped implement.

Kristi Noem

The former secretary of homeland security who Bovino praised as "the ultimate patriot."

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis

A federal judge who ordered Bovino to provide daily briefings on how his agents were enforcing the law in Chicago.

Alex Pretti

A 37-year-old nurse who was fatally shot by federal authorities in Minnesota, an incident that Bovino commented on.

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What they’re saying

“We're not going to hit one location. We're going to hit as many as we can. All over — all over — the Los Angeles region, we're going to turn and burn to that next target and the next and the next and the next, and we're not going to stop. We're not going to stop until there's not a problem here.”

— Gregory Bovino, Border Patrol Commander

“What happens at the border, even 100 years ago, didn't stay at the border, and it still doesn't. That's why we're here in Los Angeles.”

— Gregory Bovino, Border Patrol Commander

“We use the least amount of force necessary to effect the arrest, we do that. If I had more CS gas, I would have deployed it.”

— Gregory Bovino, Border Patrol Commander

“My role is not to tell you that you can or cannot enforce validly passed laws by Congress. … My role is simply to see that in the enforcement of those laws, the agents are acting in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution.”

— U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis

“This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.”

— Gregory Bovino, Border Patrol Commander

What’s next

Bovino's retirement will likely mark a shift in the Border Patrol's approach to immigration enforcement, though the long-term impacts remain to be seen.

The takeaway

Bovino's aggressive tactics as a Border Patrol commander became a lightning rod for criticism over the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. His retirement signals the end of an era, but the debate over the appropriate scope and methods of immigration enforcement is likely to continue.