Bovino played to the cameras during ICE operations. Observer videos took him down.
Ex-Border Patrol Commander Bovino was ‘brazen liar’
Former Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino and former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem were accused of playing to the cameras during those operations. Video evidence ultimately discredited many of their own claims.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Former Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino’s aggressive tactics helped him become the face of immigration operations in L.A., Chicago and Minneapolis but also led to his downfall after numerous shootings.
The new documentary series "Thin I.C.E." explains why Bovino’s credibility was already in question before Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
Bovino's rise and fall
The backstory:
Gregory Bovino knew how to go viral.
The former Border Patrol Commander dominated social media feeds as he led immigration operations in Los Angeles and Chicago last year.
Videos, many produced by the federal government, showed Bovino questioning U.S. citizens, detaining immigrants and deploying tear gas on ICE observers.
By the time Bovino was leading Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, he was a fan favorite for supporters of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Bovino was "outright lying"
What they're saying:
"Bovino was a breath of fresh air," said Rep. Walter Hudson (R-Albertville). "He brought what was kind of like a folksy, old-timey, common sense approach to the enforcement of law."
What Hudson calls common sense, a federal judge called "outright lying."
Alex Pretti's family responds
The other side:
"He is a brazen liar," said civil rights attorney Theresa Kleinhaus.
Bovino was forced out last winter shortly after falsely accusing Alex Pretti of attempting to "massacre" federal law enforcement.
"The federal government went on TV and lied about Alex. They tried to slander his memory," Susan Pretti, Alex’s mother, said at a press conference in October.
Alex Pretti was repeatedly and fatally shot while he was pinned to the ground by numerous federal agents.
"What they said was cruel. It was a lie," said Steve Schleicher, the Pretti family attorney. "They stood up in front of the country and told lies."
Trump administration playbook
What we know:
Bovino and other Trump administration officials appeared to follow the same playbook after other shootings.
Alex Pretti, Renee Good and Marimar Martinez were all accused of interference and domestic terrorism after being shot by federal agents during operations led by Bovino.
"They said the same thing against Ms. Good, the same against Mr. Pretti, and they did it with Marimar," said Chris Parente, Martinez’s attorney.
Charges against Martinez, who survived five shots to her chest and lower body, were eventually dismissed after evidence undercut the border patrol agent’s claims.
As those claims fell apart, so did Bovino’s credibility.
A federal judge in Chicago found Bovino was "outright lying" under oath when asked about his use of force.
At one point during a seven-hour deposition, Bovino repeatedly denied tackling a protester even as he was shown a video of him taking the man to the ground.
"What are you talking about…we all just saw it," Kleinhaus said. "And we played that clip in our hearing and everyone could see it."
ICE assault claims fall apart
Why you should care:
Lying under oath didn’t stop Bovino from leading immigration agents to Minneapolis.
"It did not bode well for us," said Luis Argueta Jr. with Unidos MN.
During Operation Metro Surge, Bovino and former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem consistently accused ICE observers and protesters of attacking federal agents.
Dig deeper:
Most of those cases have since been dismissed due to insufficient evidence and allegations of government misconduct.
Bovino and Noem were also forced out, but the Trump administration has not backed off their initial claims.
"No one has recanted those lies, nor has anyone reached out to Susan, Michaela, our daughter, and myself to apologize," said Michael Pretti, Alex’s father.
Watch "Thin I.C.E." documentary series
'Worst of the Worst' | Thin I.C.E. Part I
"Thin I.C.E." is a new documentary series detailing the Trump Administration's immigration operations in Chicago and Minneapolis that resulted in constitutional challenges, violent tactics and deadly shootings. The three-part series includes nearly three dozen interviews with immigrants, ICE observers, immigration attorneys, former DOJ officials and a sitting federal judge. Part I: "Worst of the worst" unpacks the Trump Administration’s claims that it targeted violent criminals during the surge.
What's next:
Thin I.C.E. is a three-part series by FOX 9 Documentaries detailing the Trump administration's immigration operations in Chicago and Minneapolis that resulted in constitutional challenges, violent tactics and deadly shootings.
Thin I.C.E. Part I: "Worst of the Worst" is streaming now on FOX LOCAL and the FOX 9 YouTube channel.
- Nov. 11 - Thin I.C.E. Part II: "Domestic Terrorists"
- Nov. 18 - Thin I.C.E. Part III: "Chaos"
The Source: FOX 9 conducted dozens of interviews, analyzed hundreds of court records and reviewed hours of body video footage recorded during immigration operations in Chicago and Minneapolis.