Bovino criticizes Minneapolis police for not helping ICE agents Wednesday, but department says they never asked
A day after Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino was seen in Minneapolis streets, he is calling out local police for not helping federal agents deal with protesters.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol held a news conference on Thursday, updating the public on their immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota.
Bovino spoke out with ICE Executive Assistant Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations Marcos Charles.
"Where was Mayor Frey? Or Governor Walz? I didn't see him around anywhere," said Bovino.
The two spoke at a podium inside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, alongside Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The building holds the region's federal immigration court.
They showed those on screens they've detained, who they say are the "worst of the worst," and asked for Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and everyone in between to help them.
"We're all on the same team and our cooperation will help save lives," said Charles. "The people we've arrested here are not ones you'd want living next door to your families, children, parents or best friends."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says, as of Thursday, it has now arrested over 3,300 people since Operation Metro Surge began. Those are numbers WCCO hasn't been able to verify.
When WCCO asked if they have updated numbers on the number of agents in the state, Bovino said he would not give an exact number, "but several thousand."
Charles added that protesters across the state are trying to defend those who've committed crimes.
Bovino also criticized the Minneapolis Police Department for not helping during Wednesday's protest. When asked if they called for help, he only mentioned they did at some point.
"Minneapolis Police Department's been called on several situations that they have not responded," Bovino said.
In response to Bovino's claims, the Minneapolis Police Department said it "receives and processes numerous 911 reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity throughout the city each day," but it has "no record of a request from federal agents for assistance" on Wednesday.
"The presence of protestors alone is not sufficient reason for MPD to respond where ICE activity is occurring," a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department said.
Minneapolis police on Wednesday did, however, recover a magazine loaded with ammunition that had been left on a sidewalk by a federal agent, according to the department.
When asked about the end in sight, Bovino said, "This mission's ongoing until there's no more of those criminal illegal aliens roaming the streets of Minneapolis."
On Thursday, ICE said in a release its officers and agents rank among the world's most skilled and experienced.