Gregory Bovino, a recently demoted US border patrol commander, has been accused of making sarcastic and mocking remarks about the Jewish faith of Daniel Rosen, the US attorney for Minnesota. The incident allegedly occurred during a phone call with prosecutors on 12 January, according to the New York Times.
Bovino reportedly used the term “chosen people” in a sarcastic manner and mocked Rosen for observing Shabbat, the weekly day of rest from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. He had requested a meeting with Rosen to push for a stronger response against those impeding federal immigration enforcement, but Rosen delegated the call to a deputy.
The Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and Rosen’s office have not responded to requests for comment. Bovino, 55, has been a prominent figure in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, recently involved in the fatal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, which sparked protests.
The Trump administration demoted Bovino after the shooting, and border chief Tom Homan has taken over operations in Minnesota, acknowledging that improvements could be made without providing specifics.
