Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino to Retire After Nearly 30 Years
Chief Sergeant and CBP Operations Commander Gregory Bovino plans to retire at the end of March, concluding a nearly three-decade career with the Border Patrol. He is particularly recognized for spearheading the largest mass immigration enforcement operation in the history of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In a conversation with Breitbart Texas on Sunday, Bovino expressed great pride as he departs the agency, stating, “The greatest honor of my life has been working alongside Border Patrol agents in some of the most difficult situations Border Patrol has ever faced, at the U.S. border and in the interior of the United States.” He reflected on the dedication of his team, saying, “It was humbling to see these agents giving their all in the most dangerous environment we have ever faced.”
Bovino gained attention as a prominent figure in President Trump’s inland immigration efforts, leading Border Patrol operations that extended inland from the border. His leadership marked a significant shift from the traditional focus of the Border Patrol in more remote areas.
He often found himself in conflict with politicians and local leaders in sanctuary cities who were unhappy with federal immigration enforcement. Nevertheless, Bovino maintained his position, asserting that operations would persist until other choices were made by government agencies.
Throughout his tenure, he directed numerous crackdowns and late-night operations from the front lines, leading to the arrest of thousands of undocumented immigrants in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans. Many of these operations faced violent backlash, with agents often targeted by aggressive protests, resulting in unprecedented levels of assaults.
In one instance, activists in Los Angeles frequently attacked agents by throwing rocks and other projectiles. The hostility escalated to the point where vehicles were used as weapons against officers. Notably, there was an incident where an activist shot at Bovino’s agents. In an earlier operation, 14 children were rescued from a marijuana cultivation site in California in July 2025.
Bovino remarked that those protesting seemed to be well-organized yet misguided about the implications of obstructing federal agents. In the summer of 2025, enforcement in Los Angeles led to over 5,000 arrests. Notably, agents sometimes employed unconventional tactics, such as conducting operations while concealed inside a Penske truck, colloquially called “Operation Trojan Horse.”
Later, immigration enforcement efforts transitioned to Chicago, under Operation Midway Blitz, which resulted in over 3,000 arrests in northern Illinois over several months. Bovino also led operations in New Orleans and Charlotte, culminating in Minneapolis with Operation Metro Surge, the largest mobilization of immigration enforcement personnel in DHS history, concluding in February 2026.
The operation quickly dispersed, especially after Tom Homan, in charge of border operations under Trump, announced a rapid withdrawal following two shootings involving federal agents closely linked to the enforcement actions.
The first shooting involved an activist who allegedly tried to ram an ICE officer with a car and was subsequently shot and killed by the officer. The second incident occurred later that month when Border Patrol agents shot at a protester who was armed and resisting arrest. Both cases remain under investigation.
Bovino, who grew up in rural Appalachia, North Carolina, earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resource conservation from Western Carolina University and obtained master’s degrees from Appalachian State University and the National Military University. He joined the Border Patrol in El Centro, California, in 1996, with a career spanning almost 30 years that included various border assignments and overseas duties.
Bovino has served as Chief Patrol Agent in both the New Orleans and El Centro Districts, where he began his career.
