The Trump administration has made plans for U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and some of his agents to soon leave the Chicago area, three U.S. officials told CBS News Monday, after taking a leading role in a months-long crackdown that has been marked by controversial arrests and clashes with protesters.
Bovino and many of the green-uniformed Border Patrol agents under his command could depart Chicago as early as later this week, the officials said, requesting anonymity to discuss internal plans.
The Trump administration deployed more than 200 Border Patrol agents to Chicago, internal government documents show, directing them to play a major role in a highly visible and contentious crackdown in the Windy City known as Operation Midway Blitz.
I think there are two possible reasons for this:
Personally, I think it’s mostly 2 with a little of 1. As lawless as the administration is, they really like to have a fig leaf of legitimacy by not openly defying the court, just flouting rulings and orders at the margins where they can pretend they’re still abiding by what the courts say. I don’t think the administration is quite ready to go full mask off just yet.
Its not ice leaving. just bavino.
Exactly. The leadership and a chunk of the imported foot soldiers. That gives the admin time to regroup and let the city cool off. Meanwhile, Bovino and his coterie will use the same tactics elsewhere. If the early rumors of him going to North Carolina are correct, then the courts may be more deferential; this can then be used as evidence if/when they return to use the same tactics again because they were “fine over there” (where there are judges more friendly to their position), and that can be used as evidence in the inevitable case.
Plus, he’s from southern CA. I doubt he’s had a real winter ever in his life and is afraid of it.