Gregory Bovino, the former Border Patrol chief who oversaw aggressive immigration enforcement in Minnesota, has launched a scathing attack on border czar Tom Homan, accusing him of engaging in 'political theater' by failing to deport enough migrants.
Bovino’s Criticism
In a post on X on Wednesday, Bovino responded to a clip of Homan discussing his enforcement strategy with Scott Jennings. 'He sounds super tough, chest out, voice all gravel,' Bovino wrote. 'But zoom in. All he’s actually promising is rounding up the ones who already have known criminal records.' Bovino argued that anything less than mass deportations 'is just political theater.'
Bovino, who retired in March after being demoted, took a combative and forceful approach to immigration enforcement. He unapologetically authorized his teams to use unorthodox methods to detain immigrants and control mass protests, including indiscriminate roundups of people perceived as possible immigrants. In contrast, Homan has adopted a 'softer touch' since taking over Bovino’s responsibilities at President Donald Trump’s request.
Homan’s Approach
Homan has insisted that immigrants with criminal records should be prioritized for deportation, a stance that has disappointed some Trump supporters who advocate for mass deportations of all undocumented immigrants. However, Homan’s approach was considered a necessary shift earlier this year after federal agents under Bovino’s watch fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minnesota, sparking nationwide outrage.
Bovino accused Homan of 'denying reality' with his targeted approach. 'The millions who haven’t gotten caught yet? Crickets. They’re staying right where they are… until they rob or kill you,' Bovino wrote. 'This is why a 100 million of them are laughing at us.'
False Assumptions
Bovino’s claims perpetuate a false assumption that undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit crimes, an unsubstantiated stereotype also bolstered by Trump. A 2024 National Institute of Justice study found that undocumented immigrants were arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug-related crimes. A 2020 research study similarly found that undocumented immigrants had a 'considerably lower felony arrest' rate than legal immigrants and native-born U.S. citizens.
Despite this evidence, Bovino approached immigration enforcement as though undocumented immigrants were more prone to crime. Critics accused Bovino of using racial profiling to target Hispanic people in California, a claim he denied. Reports indicate Bovino allowed his teams to use aggressive tactics to control protests, including throwing tear gas into crowds. In text messages released by prosecutors, Bovino praised a federal officer after the officer shot a U.S. citizen woman five times. More than a dozen incidents in Minnesota under Bovino’s watch are currently under investigation, according to the state.
Bovino had previously insulted his superior immigration officials for prioritizing intelligence-led arrests over sweeping operations called 'turn and burn,' labeling them 'status quo,' according to interviews with the New York Times.
The Independent has sought comment from the White House.
