Former Border Patrol Official Greg Bovino Calls Minneapolis Protestors “Cannon Fodder” in Controversial Interview

In a recent interview with far-right hosts Lauren Witzke and Edward Szall, former Border Patrol official Greg Bovino called the Minneapolis demonstrators killed during a 2023 immigration operation “cannon fodder.” The interview, recorded beside a guard-tower-like structure, aired on the “Died Suddenly” program, a spinoff of a 2022 anti-vax film by Stew Peters.

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Bovino oversaw a federal immigration sweep in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of protestors Renee Good and Alex Pretti. An ACLU-filed lawsuit alleges that agents under his command targeted individuals who appeared Somali—many U.S. citizens—for questioning and detention, linking the tactics to the two fatalities.

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• Greg Bovino – Former senior Border Patrol official, active on X.

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• Lauren Witzke – Christian nationalist, far-right commentator.

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• Edward Szall – Former White House correspondent for Mike Lindell, linked to neo-Nazi-adjacent projects.

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• Renee Good & Alex Pretti – Protestors killed in the Minneapolis operation.

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• Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) – Opposed mass deportations in Minnesota, expressed discomfort with Pretti’s killing.

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• President Donald Trump – Cited by Bovino as supportive.

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• Kristi Noem & Corey Lewandowski – Mentioned by Bovino as messengers of Trump’s stance.

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Bovino expressed no remorse, calling the Minneapolis outcome a “softer approach” that unintentionally empowered protest networks. He blamed higher-level officials, noting “we had President Trump” while omitting other senior staff. The ACLU lawsuit alleges agents targeted Somali-appearing individuals, but no federal agency has responded publicly. Senator Rand Paul said he was “not keen on mass deportations in Minnesota,” distancing himself from Bovino’s stance.

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Observers condemned Bovino’s labeling of protestors as expendable and noted the extremist backgrounds of his interviewers. The ACLU lawsuit raises concerns about racial profiling and detention of U.S. citizens. Critics say Bovino’s push for broad deportations and denaturalization of “those incompatible with American values” aligns with far-right agendas, questioning his influence on immigration discourse.

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• “cannon fodder.” — Greg Bovino, former Border Patrol official

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• “These folks were not anywhere sympathetic to anything American,” — Greg Bovino

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• “I felt that we had President Trump. Notice I didn’t say any of his other team, there,” — Greg Bovino

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• “deport all Muslims illegal aliens and denaturalize those incompatible with American values.” — Greg Bovino (X post)

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The interview repeatedly references Renee Good but omits Alex Pretti, despite both being victims. The ACLU’s claims of Somali-targeted questioning lack corroborating statements from federal officials in the sources. No quantitative data on the number of detainees is provided, leaving the operation’s scale unclear.

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Bovino continues to post on X, reiterating his immigration stance. The ACLU lawsuit proceeds, potentially prompting judicial review of the Minneapolis sweep. Public reaction to the interview may shape future debates on federal immigration enforcement and protestor treatment during civil unrest.

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