Gregory Bovino left DHS to keep away from inner investigations into his deportation techniques, insider reveals
Gregory Bovino, a senior U.S. Border Patrol commander, is leaving the Department of Homeland Security in order to sidestep fallout from an internal investigation, an insider has claimed.
Bovino, 55, announced his retirement Monday in an interview with Breitbart, saying he will step down at the end of the month, closing out a decades-long career that drew national attention and scrutiny during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The news of his exit comes less than two weeks after Trump fired Kristi Noem as head of DHS.
“The greatest honor of my entire life was to work alongside Border Patrol agents on the border and in the interior of the United States in some of the most challenging conditions the agency has ever faced,” he told the right-wing outlet, while stopping short of offering an explanation for his retirement.
A senior DHS staffer who spoke to The Daily Beast shed light on the decision.
“He sees where the wind is blowing,” the insider said. “He’s got an internal investigation looming, and he’s already been sent back to El Centro. Now with Noem out, it’s a sign of things to come. Chosen to jump before he’s pushed.”
The Independent has contacted DHS for comment.
The DHS probe, reported by The New York Times earlier this month, centers on remarks Bovino allegedly made about the Jewish religion.
Bovino griped in a January phone call that Daniel Rosen, the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, was difficult to reach on weekends due to his observance of Shabbat, sources familiar with the matter told the outlet. The commander sarcastically asked whether Jewish criminals stopped short of breaking the law over the weekend.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigator later opened an official inquiry into allegations that Bovino made “unprofessional comments.” At the time, a DHS spokesperson dismissed the story as unverified gossip.
It’s not the first investigation to be opened into Bovino, who became the public face of Trump’s immigration crackdown, overseeing operations in several U.S. cities, including in Minneapolis last winter. The longtime Border Patrol official was frequently seen leading patrols throughout the city, flanked by agents in tactical gear.
On March 3, a Minnesota prosecutor announced a probe over misconduct during immigration enforcement operations. It could lead to charges against multiple federal officers, including Bovino, who allegedly lobbed a smoke canister at protesters on January 21.
And, in February, DHS’s inspector general revealed he is conducting eight individual probes, including into the actions undertaken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Bovino was not specifically named in these probes.
Bovino’s comments about Renee Good and Alex Pretti — the two American citizens killed by federal officers in Minneapolis — also played a part in his downfall, according to The Daily Beast.
Following their deaths in January, Noem characterized both individuals as domestic terrorists, comments that Bovino defended on television. According to several senior officials who spoke to the outlet, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller became enraged that Bovino — and his “turn and burn” tactics — were the focus of the administration’s immigration crackdown.
Border czar Tom Homan was later sent to take over operations and ease tensions in Minnesota, while Bovino was ordered to return to his native California and his use of social media was suspended.
On March 5, Trump fired Noem as DHS chief, days after she was lambasted by lawmakers over her leadership failures. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been nominated to replace her.
Polls show that the public has concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of immigration. According to a February Ipsos survey, 58 percent of Americans believe the federal government has gone too far to deport illegal immigrants.
Source: independent.co.uk
