Minneapolis/Washington: Gregory “Greg” Bovino is a senior U.S. Border Patrol commander who has been at the forefront of the Trump administration’s most aggressive federal immigration enforcement operations, including the high-profile crackdown in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge.

Bovino recently served as Border Patrol “commander at large,” a role overseeing nationwide deployments of Border Patrol tactical units to major US cities. According to a DHS official and two people with knowledge of the change, “Gregory Bovino has been removed from his role as Border Patrol ‘commander at large’ and will return to his former job in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon.”

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His sudden demotion has emerged as the clearest sign yet that the administration is reassessing its enforcement strategy following the killing of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents operating under Bovino’s command.

Bovino has been at the centre of the administration’s aggressive enforcement surge in cities nationwide. 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 around Bovino intensified in recent days after his public defence of the Pretti shooting and disputed claims about the confrontation that led to his death.

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Amid the backlash, some federal agents are now expected to leave Minnesota as early as Tuesday. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who spoke by phone with President Donald Trump, said the president praised their discussion and declared that “lots of progress is being made.” Frey said he asked Trump to end the immigration enforcement surge and that Trump agreed the present situation cannot continue.

The mayor said some agents would soon leave and that he would keep pushing for others involved in Operation Metro Surge to go. Among those expected to depart is senior Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, according to a person familiar with the matter.