The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has opened an internal investigation into allegations that Gregory Bovino, a senior border patrol official, made disparaging remarks about the Jewish faith of Minnesota’s top federal prosecutor, the New York Times reported.
Bovino, who became the public face of the heavily scrutinized immigration crackdown in Minnesota that left two US citizens dead at the hands of federal agents, allegedly mocked federal prosecutor Daniel Rosen during a January phone call with state prosecutors. According to the Times, Bovino allegedly made sarcastic comments about Rosen’s observance of Shabbat – the weekly period of rest from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset – and used the phrase “chosen people” in a derisive tone during the 12 January call.
The call came after Bovino requested a meeting with Rosen to push the Minnesota US attorney’s office into a stronger response toward criminalizing people whom Bovino believed were impeding federal agents from enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state, the Times reported on Saturday.
On Tuesday, the Times reported that John Breckenridge, a special investigator with Customs and Border Protection, had launched an “official inquiry into the allegation” that Bovino made “unprofessional comments”. Breckenridge contacted the Times seeking assistance with the inquiry but did not say whether other aspects of Bovino’s conduct were under review.
“Following a letter from a Congressman inquiring about reporting on anonymous allegations, CBP opened an internal inquiry to determine the full story,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement to the Guardian. “This is standard procedure and does NOT indicate any confirmation of wrongdoing.”
Bovino was ultimately removed as head of “Operation Metro Surge” after federal immigration agents fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti within two weeks of each other. In the aftermath, Donald Trump dispatched his “border czar”, Tom Homan, to take control of the operation; Homan announced a drawdown of the roughly 3,000 federal agents deployed across Minnesota.
Separately, a Minnesota prosecutor announced Monday that her office was pursuing a criminal investigation that could result in charges against federal officers – including Bovino – for alleged misconduct during the surge. Hennepin county attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is examining 17 cases, among them an incident captured on video in which Bovino was seen throwing a smoke canister at protesters on 21 January.
DHS responded in a statement Monday night that such enforcement is a federal responsibility and states cannot prosecute federal officers.
“What these States are trying to do is unlawful, and they know it,” the statement said. “Federal officials acting in the course of their duties are immune from liability under state law.”
Moriarty’s office has set up an online portal where photos, videos and eyewitness accounts from any point during Operation Metro Surge can be uploaded.
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“Make no mistake, we are not afraid of the legal fight, and we are committed to doing this correctly,” Moriarty said. “Operation Metro Surge caused immeasurable harm to our community.”
Abené Clayton contributed reporting
