A senior US immigration commander has become the controversial poster boy for a series of aggressive raids, drawing intense criticism for his conduct and flamboyant public persona.
Who is Gregory Bovino?
Gregory K. Bovino, a high-ranking Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commander, has been propelled into the national spotlight in recent weeks. His prominence surged after images circulated online showing him being escorted by a phalanx of guards to a public toilet during an operation, a scene that many found emblematic of an over-militarised approach.
Bovino's career with the Border Patrol spans three decades, beginning in 1996 in El Paso, Texas. He rose through the ranks, holding leadership posts in Yuma, Arizona, and Blythe, California, before becoming chief of sectors in New Orleans in August 2019 and later El Centro, California.
In a personal history that has sparked particular debate, Bovino is the grandson of two immigrants from Calabria, Italy, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1909 and became naturalised citizens in 1927. Commentators, including Joseph Sciorra of the Calandra Italian American Institute, have expressed astonishment that a descendant of immigrants would engage in what they describe as "abhorrent and violent treatment of contemporary migrants."
A Lightning Rod for Controversy
Bovino, nicknamed 'the Liberace of the Border Patrol' by a former colleague for his theatrical style, has repeatedly ignited public fury. He faced significant backlash after arriving in Minneapolis with ICE agents dressed in uniforms that online critics said resembled those of SS officers.
The commander wore a green trench coat with gold buttons and a black scarf, an image that prompted accusations of "cosplaying Nazis." CNN journalist Jim Acosta condemned the visuals, stating such images would be held up as "an example of an authoritarian period in our history."
His controversies extend beyond attire. Bovino was filmed throwing a tear gas canister at protesters, leading to a civil lawsuit alleging he violated a court order. He later told Fox News he would continue using tear gas despite a federal judge barring its use against peaceful demonstrators.
Most recently, he sparked outrage by praising ICE agent Jonathan 'Jon' Ross, who shot and killed mother-of-three and US citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis. Bovino told Fox News, "Hats off to that ICE agent," arguing the victim's actions showed "intent" prior to the shooting.
Background and Political Alignment
Little is known about Bovino's specific political views, but former associates suggest he echoes right-wing perspectives. Inspired to join the Border Patrol after watching the 1982 film The Border, his sister alleged he was angered because the film portrayed an agent as a criminal.
He has become the public face of former President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign, vowing to arrest the "worst of the worst." This stance is contrasted by a reported family tragedy: the Chicago Sun Times reported that Bovino's own father was imprisoned for killing a woman in a drunk-driving accident.
As the tactical commander of a major raid operation in Los Angeles in June 2025, he has been at the centre of sprawling protests. A former agent described him as "a little Napoleon who wants you to think that he is a hero," criticising his performative behaviour during raids filmed for social media.
With his catchphrase, "What happens at the border never stays at the border," Gregory Bovino remains a deeply polarising figure, embodying the fierce debate over immigration enforcement in modern America.
