Border official fires back at Gavin Newsom's political ‘tantrum' over immigration raids in Los Angeles
A top Customs and Border Protection official is pushing back against California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s allegations that federal agents staged an immigration raid to coincide with his rally in Los Angeles.
CBP El Centro Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino dismissed Newsom’s comments as a political "tantrum."
"Does the governor or Mayor Bass, when they have these meltdowns, these tantrums like that, do they want those individuals walking the streets," Bovino wondered Friday on "America’s Newsroom."
"Where's the outrage [when] there are Tren de Aragua members walking with impunity on the streets of Los Angeles, or child rapists, or a whole litany of other bad people and bad things, bad criminals walking the streets of Los Angeles?"
Federal agents conducted immigration enforcement operations across the city Thursday while Newsom held a press conference outlining the state’s plan to redraw congressional maps.
During his remarks, the governor shifted to discussing the Trump administration’s deportation agenda, and claimed dozens of agents were positioned just outside the event.
"Do you think it's coincidental?" Newsom asked the crowd.
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"Donald Trump and his minions, Tom Homan, tough guy, decided, coincidentally or not, that this was a location to advance ICE arrests. Indiscriminate? Perhaps. We'll find out later."
Bovino and other officials, such as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, insisted the raids had nothing to do with the governor’s public appearance.
"We absolutely targeted all of Los Angeles yesterday," Bovino admitted, adding that 40 law enforcement teams were deployed throughout the city to go after criminal migrants.
He claimed that not far from the governor’s location, a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, a violent transnational gang from Venezuela, was arrested. That suspect was allegedly the main target of the operation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also confirmed on "America Reports" Thursday that information about the suspects is what spurred the raid.
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"Every single one of our ICE and border patrol operations is built on information. On investigative work. It’s a case and an operation that has been planned because of who they think could be in that area and what they have for information that shows that there are illegal criminals there."
Bovino stressed that these types of arrests and raids have been ongoing in Los Angeles.
"We have hundreds of law enforcement officers conducting that mission every day in Los Angeles. I know the governor said the time and the location," he said, addressing Newsom’s claim.
"The time is every time. And the location is everywhere. That location's [going to] be where we think we need to go, anywhere, anytime, to effectively conduct that mission."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Newsom’s office responded in all capital letters: "WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY WEAK LITTLE DONALD TRUMP, THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT!"