Split between Bovino and Holman

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The President needs to let Tom Homan lead on this. Homan understands the stakes. Inside the Trump Administration, there is an understanding that ICE has operated far more responsibly under Homan than the Border Patrol has under Greg Bovino, who is not really the head of Border Patrol, but has been placed in an elevated role by Kristi Noem that allows Bovino to bypass his superiors.

Several prominent members of Congress likewise are distrustful of Bovino’s leadership and hold Homan in high regard for his and his agents’ professionalism. More often than not, border patrol agents, not ICE, are the ones detaining American citizens and using other heavy-handed tactics. But ICE gets the blame.

And, to be clearer here, what is happening with the major public confrontation and escalation is a choice made by Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski that is well documented in the conservative media.

There is this from Fox News.

On one side are Border Czar Tom Homan and ICE Director Todd Lyons, who have advocated focusing on criminal aliens and those with final deportation orders.

On the other side are DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, senior adviser Corey Lewandowski and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, who have pushed for a broader and more aggressive approach, targeting anyone in the U.S. illegally to boost deportation numbers.

Two senior officials described the mood inside DHS as “tense” and “combative,” with some ICE leaders warning the new approach could erode public support and blur the line between ICE and Border Patrol operations.

“ICE started off with the worst of the worst, knowing every target they are hitting, but since Border Patrol came to LA in June, we’ve lost our focus, going too hard, too fast, with limited prioritization,” one senior DHS official told Fox. “It’s getting numbers, but at what cost?”

Another senior official put it bluntly, "ICE is arresting criminal aliens. They [Border Patrol] are hitting Home Depots and car washes."

Noem, according to the New York Post, has also marginalized Homan, the long-time and well-respected leader whom even Barack Obama gave a presidential award to. Noem marginalized Homan because he advocated working behind the scenes and prioritizing the criminals and gang bangers before pivoting to a general round-up. Noem, Lewandowski, and Bovino have wanted public confrontations and spectacle.

Just a few days ago, the conservative Washington Examiner dove into this more.

Senior Trump administration officials, including a Cabinet member, tried to force out President Donald Trump’s top border official over disagreements about how to reach the president’s deportation goals and ethical concerns, eight sources alleged during conversations with the Washington Examiner.

Those involved said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski, a special government employee at DHS and Noem’s close ally, have waged an aggressive campaign to make U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott so uncomfortable at work that he would resign.

Noem and Lewandowski want to elevate Bovino even further and, for now,

Five people said Noem made that decision and told Bovino he would report directly to her, an unprecedented move to have Bovino go around Scott and Border Patrol’s national chief, Mike Banks. The DHS and CBP did not address or dispute this point when asked for comment.

My advice to the President and his team is very simple. Repeat after me: “We are at this point because the State of Minnesota and City of Minneapolis continue to harbor illegal aliens the American people want deported. The deaths of American citizens are tragic and made more tragic by the Governor and Mayor whipping activists into a frenzy to stop the federal government from enforcing the laws Minnesota and Minneapolis refuse to enforce. Neither Ms. Good nor Mr. Pretti would be dead and the border patrol would not be roaming the streets of Minnesota if the state government cooperated with the federal government’s effort to deport illegal aliens. We will not cease enforcement of federal law because of a mob. The American people voted in November of 2024 for a change of direction away from open borders and mass illegal migration into the country. Kamala Harris’s Vice Presidential nominee is not just rejecting the will of the voters, but inflaming the situation in Minnesota, inspiring vigilantes who are getting harmed and killed while ICE and Border Patrol agents are increasingly under threat.” Then let Homan take the lead and send Bovino elsewhere.

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