Gregory Bovino, the U.S. Border Patrol agent who became the face of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, will retire at the end of the month, two Customs and Border Protection officials told NBC News.
Bovino was removed from his role as CBP commander at large in January and returned to his role as Border Patrol sector chief in El Centro, California. The move came after the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and aggressive immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles.
His exit coincides with the date President Trump announced would be Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s last day in the job. In his position as commander, he reported directly to Noem and her senior adviser Corey Lewandowski.
Bovino was also eligible for retirement and one year away from the mandatory retirement age in CBP of 57.

Emails obtained by NBC News showed Bovino was frustrated in Chicago last October when he was told to conduct “targeted” arrests rather than “full scale immigration enforcement.”
CBS News was first to report his plans to retire.
Bovino and other Customs and Border Protection agents were removed from Minneapolis in January where he had been overseeing Operation Metro Surge.
He was featured in a Hollywood style movie posters and video mashups as the White House sought to promote its crackdown in Chicago, which Bovino led. His tactics, including throwing gas canisters into crowds of protesters, led to a lawsuit in Chicago and clashes with other administration officials.
He was chastised by a federal judge after using chemical agents in residential neighborhoods, violating a judge’s order to curb their use. The judge called Bovino back into court after finding he repeatedly lied about threats posed by immigrants and protesters. In one incident, he claimed he threw a gas canister after he was hit by a rock. But he had to walk back the claim after video evidence contradicted him.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

