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29-01-2026
WASHINGTON: A top US immigration official is expected to leave the US city of Minneapolis in what may mark a shift in the White House’s tone after the fatal shooting of a second US citizen by federal officers over the weekend.
As Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some immigration agents leave, President Donald Trump’s border tsar Tom Homan will begin leading on-the-ground efforts in the city after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday escalated tensions.
Trump’s decision may indicate the administration’s interest in walking back more aggressive federal action in his nationwide immigration crackdown.
Despite the announcement, online tracking shows immigration raids have continued.
As well as the change in leadership and the reduction in federal agents, there have been other signs of a shifting strategy by the Trump administration in recent days.
Trump had phone calls with Democratic city and state officials that he described positively, a change in tone after attacking them over the weekend and the president himself has avoided the language used by some of his top aides that sought to blame Pretti for Saturday’’ tragedy.
His administration is facing pressure from some prominent Republicans, who have joined opposition Democrats in calling for a wide-ranging investigation.
On Monday, a Republican contender to become state governor dropped out of that election race, calling the enforcement operation in Minnesota an “unmitigated disaster”.
That candidate was Chris Madel, a defence lawyer who has provided advice to the agent who earlier this month shot dead another US citizen in Minneapolis, Renee Good. Bovino was the face of the operation when Pretti, an observer seen filming agents became involved in a confrontation that ended in Pretti being shot numerous times. The commander claimed that Pretti intended to “massacre” federal agents, a statement that angered many protesters on the streets.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the agents fired in self-defence after Pretti, who they say had a handgun, resisted their attempts to disarm him on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses, local officials and the victim’s family have challenged that account, pointing out Pretti had a phone in his hand, not a weapon. His parents, meanwhile, have accused the administration of spreading “sickening lies” about what happened.
There is no sign of a gun in Pretti’s hand, according to analysis of the available video by media.
Bovino has been key to the Trump administration’s hardline approach to immigration enforcement in several cities, active on social media and regularly filming raids and posting promotional videos showing his agents’ action.
Homan, who will report directly to the president, advocates for the aggressive immigration enforcement pushed by Trump but he also has longer-term experience in the role, having worked with immigration and deportations during the Democratic presidency of Barack Obama.
Some media reports suggested Bovino had been let go from his role, but DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin denied that, saying the Border Patrol chief was “a key part of the president’s team and a great American”.
Tension and frustration over the presence of federal officials remained high in Minneapolis on Monday.
“A lot of people aren’t able to work right now, they aren’t able to leave their house, they’re afraid,” said George Cordero, a resident of St Paul, Minneapolis’, sister city. (Int’l News Desk)
