CBP investigates Bovino for alleged anti-Jewish remarks about Minnesota prosecutor

U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened an internal investigation Wednesday into Gregory Bovino, once the public face of the Trump administration’s city-by-city immigration sweeps, after reports that he made disparaging comments about the Jewish faith of Daniel N. Rosen, the U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota. The inquiry was opened following a congressional letter about anonymous allegations, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said. DHS said the probe “does NOT indicate any confirmation of wrongdoing.”

Bovino was removed from his leading enforcement role in late January after federal officers fatally shot two people in Minneapolis. The CBP inquiry adds to existing legal scrutiny he faces from a county prosecutor who announced Monday she would investigate him for allegedly throwing a smoke canister at protesters.

The alleged remarks

The New York Times and CBS News reported on remarks Bovino allegedly made during a Jan. 12 phone call held to coordinate a meeting about deploying immigration agents in the Minneapolis area.

On the call, Bovino allegedly complained that Rosen was unavailable for part of the weekend because of the Sabbath, which in Judaism is observed from sunset Friday to nightfall Saturday. Bovino allegedly used the term “chosen people” in a disparaging way and, in a sarcastic tone, asked: “Do Orthodox criminals also take off on Saturday?” according to CBS News.

Rosen was not on the call. He had delegated it to a deputy, the Times reported.

The Times also first reported that an investigator with CBP’s office of professional responsibility wrote in an email that he had opened “an official inquiry into the allegation” that Bovino made “unprofessional comments.”

Bovino’s role and removal

Bovino led Trump administration immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles, Chicago and New Orleans before heading to Minnesota in December for what Homeland Security described as its largest-ever immigration enforcement operation. He was the public face of the administration’s sweeps until late January, when he was removed from that role.

The administration sidelined Bovino after federal officers in Minneapolis fatally shot Renee Good, 37, and Alex Pretti, 37, on separate days, prompting nationwide demonstrations and criticism of Homeland Security’s use-of-force policies.

State investigation

On Monday, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office would investigate Bovino and other federal officers for misconduct. Moriarty said she would examine an instance in which Bovino allegedly threw a smoke canister at protesters on Jan. 21.

Homeland Security said in a statement that states cannot prosecute federal officers.