Recently demoted border patrol official Gregory Bovino reportedly made mocking and sarcastic remarks about the Jewish faith of Minnesota’s US attorney, Daniel Rosen, during a phone call with prosecutors on 12 January.
According to the New York Times, Bovino mocked Rosen for observing Shabbat, the weekly day of rest from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, and used the term “chosen people” in a sarcastic way during the call. Bovino complained that Rosen had been hard to reach over the weekend because of Shabbat.
The call took place after Bovino requested a meeting with Rosen to push for a stronger response against people he believed were impeding federal agents enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Rosen delegated the call to a deputy.
Bovino, 55, became a visible figure in the immigration crackdown, particularly after the fatal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti by border patrol in Minneapolis on 24 January. Bovino initially claimed Pretti intended to “massacre” federal agents, but videos showed Pretti holding a phone, not a firearm.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration demoted Bovino from his role as agency commander at large and transferred him out of Minneapolis. Border chief Tom Homan took over the Minnesota immigration enforcement operation, stating he recognised that improvements could be made.
