Border Patrol Commander Defends Minneapolis Operations After Viral Confrontation
A tense press conference held by U.S. Border Patrol officials in Minneapolis followed the viral spread of a video showing Commander Gregory Bovino confronting protesters during an immigration enforcement operation. The footage, captured on a snowy city street, shows Bovino repeatedly warning demonstrators that "gas is coming!" before throwing a canister that released green smoke into the crowd on Wednesday.
Bovino Describes Hostile Environment for Federal Agents
Addressing reporters after the incident, Bovino defended the ongoing operations by ICE and Border Patrol under Title Eight authority. He painted a concerning picture of what he called an increasingly hostile environment for federal law enforcement personnel working in Minneapolis.
"This climate is not very favourable to federal law enforcement here in Minneapolis," Bovino stated during the briefing. He specifically accused "violent protesters, anarchists, rioters, individuals and extremists" of attempting to disrupt arrest operations conducted by federal agents.
Incident Involving Trapped Off-Duty Agents Detailed
Bovino provided detailed accounts of challenges faced by federal personnel, including an incident involving two off-duty federal agents who were allegedly surrounded by a mob while dining at a downtown Minneapolis restaurant. According to his testimony, the agents found themselves trapped for approximately 45 minutes after restaurant staff attempted to lock them inside with what he described as "40 to 50 agitators."
"Minneapolis Police Department was called. They never showed up," Bovino revealed, adding that a federal tactical team eventually had to be deployed to extract the endangered agents from the volatile situation.
No Timeline for Ending Minneapolis Enforcement Operations
When questioned by journalists about whether there existed a target number of arrests or a specific timeline for concluding operations in Minneapolis, Bovino responded with unambiguous clarity. "There is a number and it's called all of them," he declared bluntly.
The Border Patrol commander emphasized that the enforcement mission would continue "until there are no more of those criminal illegal aliens roaming the streets of Minneapolis." This statement effectively establishes that there is currently no predetermined end date for the immigration crackdown operations in the city.
The press conference and viral video have brought renewed attention to the administration's immigration enforcement strategies in major urban centers, with Minneapolis becoming a focal point of both operational activity and public controversy.
