Border Patrol Commander: Minnesota Leaders’ Actions Create “Serious Problem” for Federal Immigration Operations

U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino declared Friday that any effort to block federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota should be treated as a serious problem, following reports of a Justice Department investigation into Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Bovino stated: “Anytime there’s a conspiracy to preclude federal law enforcement from conducting its lawful law enforcement mission, in this case, our Title 8 immigration mission here in Minneapolis and Minnesota, there’s a problem there.”

Bovino noted he had not reviewed subpoenas or the case but remarked that if they were issued, it would be “fantastic job.” Federal reports indicate the Department of Justice is investigating whether Walz and Frey impeded federal immigration enforcement through public statements, potentially implicating a federal conspiracy statute. Subpoenas have been issued to both officials.

Bovino highlighted public statements by Walz and Frey condemning federal deployment efforts, demanding their cessation, and urging protests and documentation of encounters. He warned such rhetoric makes operations “very difficult and downright dangerous” for Border Patrol teams operating in Minneapolis.

Tensions in Minnesota escalated following the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good, 37, by ICE officer Jonathan Ross in south Minneapolis. On Wednesday night, another federal agent was shot in the leg during a traffic stop, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Law enforcement reported being attacked with a shovel and broom while completing the stop, which occurred about 12 miles from where Good was fatally shot.

The unrest has drawn direct White House attention, with President Donald Trump threatening Thursday to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to protests and clashes tied to federal immigration operations in Minnesota. Reports detail an extensive immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis and St. Paul that has resulted in over 2,500 arrests.