Trump’s Border Patrol Boss Accuses JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor of ‘Feeding This Violence’ Against ICE

Sean JamesOct 4th, 2025, 9:04 pm
 

Gregory Bovino, one of the top agents spearheading President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, blasted Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) for “feeding” violence against Border Patrol and ICE agents.

Bovino — who is the Chief Patrol Agent for U.S. Border Patrol in the El Centro sector — questioned whether the two Democrats want to see immigration agents get hurt by violent protestors, during an appearance on The Big Weekend Show on Fox News on Saturday.

Here is what he told co-host Kevin Corke, when asked about Pritzker and Johnson:

“Those individuals like the governor or mayor, they feed violence. They foment this violence — and I kind of scratch my head as to why they would do that — but they are actually feeding this violence and trying to get people hurt,” Bovino said. “I wonder if they actually want Border Patrol Agents and ICE officers hurt. At this point, I’ve almost came to that conclusion. I’s a sad fact, but they continually — they continually — banter that rhetoric around, and I’ve not heard anything on the suspects that we’ve arrested, the bad people and bad things that we’ve arrested by the thousands.” 

He pointed to one “aggravated felon” who was arrested in Chicago yesterday, as part of an operation with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who was “walking the streets with immunity” after just three years in prison on a firearms charge. Bovino said he would like to hear Pritzker and Johnson talk about guys like that more, rather than complain about the president.

Bovino also skewered the Democratic leadership in Oregon and Portland, saying they have done “almost nil” to coordinate with federal agents. Last week, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) fumed at the president, saying there is “no need” to send troops to Portland.

The 55-year-old has been previously dubbed by Fox News as the “architect” of Trump’s immigration enforcement plan in Los Angeles earlier this year.

His comments come a few hours after Pritzker said the president was federalizing the Illinois National Guard. Pritzker and Johnson have repeatedly criticized President Trump over the past month for his plan to thwart crime and remove illegal immigrants from Chicago.

“I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois,” Pritzker said on Saturday. “I will not call up our National Guard to further Trump’s acts of aggression against our people.”

His appearance on Fox News also comes as anti-ICE protests have taken place in Chicago, Portland, and elsewhere.

Bovino told Fox News that Pritzker and Johnson’s comments are absurd, but that they have had “no effect” on the morale of ICE and Border Patrol agents. He also said many locals are thrilled with the immigration crackdown.

“Those individuals are so out of touch with some of the folks in their immunity — I’m seeing a very subtle change there in their communities. A lot of those inner-city American citizen residents are actually coming up to border Patrol and ICE agents and saying ‘Thank you for being here,” Bovino said. Now, They are telling us that but those elected leaders don’t seem to be getting the message. But they are going to get the message, because we are seeing an upwelling of support that we’ve never seen before.”Co-Host Tomi Lahren told him “that’s great to hear.”You can watch part of Bovino’s segment above, via Fox News.

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