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Who is Greg Bovino, and what was his role in El Centro, California, before becoming Border Patrol ‘commander at large’?
Reports indicate Gregory Bovino has been removed as the US Border Patrol's commander at large, returning to El Centro. However, the DHS refuted these claims.
On Monday, reports emerged that Gregory Bovino has been removed from his position as the US Border Patrol's "commander at large."
The Atlantic, citing multiple sources, reported that he will return to his previous role in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon.
However, the Department of Homeland Security pushed back on these claims.
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X, "Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties. As @PressSec stated from the White House podium, @CMDROpAtLargeCA is a key part of the President’s team and a great American."
These reports have surfaced amid intense criticism of federal immigration enforcement tactics, especially after the fatal shooting of 37‑year‑old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by a US Border Patrol agent during an operation.
Read more: Was Greg Bovino fired as Border Patrol ‘commander at large’? DHS responds
Bovino's role in El Centro
Before becoming “commander at large,” Bovino served as chief of the El Centro Border Patrol Sector in southern California, a post he held since 2021. Bovino’s leadership in El Centro coincided with heightened migration flows and political pressure on U.S. border policy
As chief patrol agent in El Centro, Bovino was responsible for managing roughly 800 agents, overseeing surveillance, checkpoints, drug and contraband seizures, and coordination with local law enforcement, as per Global Security.
In 2023, following some internal controversies, Bovino was relieved of his duties. However, he remained in service while transitioning to other roles within CBP.
Read more: Greg Bovino, the face of Trump's 'turn and burn' migrant crackdown
Bovino's career
Bovino's career in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began in 1996. He climbed the ranks over the year and built a reputation for hard-line tactics and visibility in operations from the Southwest border to major U.S. cities.
He had served as the acting field operations supervisor in the city's tactical unit before being assigned to the Border Patrol's sector in El Paso, Texas. Bovino started working in the Yuma, Arizona, sector in 2004 and eventually rose to the position of assistant chief in the sector's headquarters.
After four years, Bovino was appointed the patrol agent in charge of the station in Blythe, California. Eventually, he became the chief of the Border Patrol's sector in New Orleans in 2019.
After his relief from El Centro in 2023, Bovino conducted "Operation Return to Sender" in January 2025, at the end of Joe Biden's administration, and detained numerous individuals in the Central Valley.
He was appointed tactical leader of a large-scale raid operation in Los Angeles in June 2025, which sparked demonstrations around the city.
Bovino was eventually promoted to be called the “commander at large” of the Border Patrol by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to lead one of the biggest immigration operations in the country.
