Bar BOOTS Bovino After Citizens Killed

A Border Patrol commander who oversaw operations linked to the deaths of two American citizens found himself on the receiving end of an ejection just days after being removed from his controversial Minneapolis assignment.

Story Snapshot

Gregory Bovino was escorted from Bottled Blonde bar on the Las Vegas Strip on January 30, 2026, after staff recognized him and cited patron safety concerns
Three days earlier, President Trump had pulled Bovino from Minneapolis following public backlash over Operation Metro Surge, which resulted in two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens
The bar exercised its legal right under Nevada law to refuse service to any patron, with an attorney confirming businesses can eject individuals to avoid liability
Video of Bovino drinking wine and laughing shortly after the Minneapolis deaths went viral, intensifying public criticism of his role in aggressive immigration enforcement tactics

When the Enforcer Gets Enforced Upon

Gregory Bovino spent weeks commanding masked federal agents through Minneapolis streets, separating families and conducting what critics called militarized immigration sweeps. On January 30, he walked into Bottled Blonde, a three-story sports bar on the Las Vegas Strip, expecting an evening of red wine with companions. Staff had different plans. Upon recognizing the 55-year-old former “commander at large,” management escorted him out, citing their responsibility to maintain a safe environment for other patrons. The irony was lost on no one: the man who built a reputation kicking people out of the country got kicked out of a bar.

The Minneapolis Operations That Ended Two Lives

Bovino’s rapid fall from prominence stems directly from Operation Metro Surge, an aggressive enforcement campaign he led in Minneapolis during January 2026. Under his command, armed agents known as the “Green Machine” conducted street-level sweeps that targeted immigrants and protesters alike. The operation turned deadly twice. ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in early January. Three weeks later, on January 24, Alex Pretti died after agents threw him to the pavement while he attempted to protect a protester. Both victims were unarmed American citizens. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Bovino later labeled Pretti a “would-be terrorist” without providing evidence, a claim that backfired spectacularly in public polling.

Political Damage Control Triggers Demotion

The White House watched polling numbers drop as Minneapolis operations generated headlines about federal agents killing citizens. President Trump removed Bovino from his Minneapolis role on January 27, transferring him back to California’s El Centro sector and installing border czar Tom Homan as his replacement. The move signaled recognition that Bovino had become politically toxic, his aggressive tactics producing outcomes that even the administration’s own supporters found troubling. The demotion effectively marked the end of Bovino’s high-profile career, with retirement likely on the horizon. Yet within 72 hours, he surfaced in Las Vegas, apparently unconcerned about public perception.

Private Business Rights Meet Public Backlash

Bottled Blonde’s decision to remove Bovino rests on solid legal ground in Nevada. Attorney Tre Lovell confirmed that bars possess broad discretion to eject patrons for safety concerns or liability reasons, including political considerations. The establishment’s official statement emphasized their right to refuse service upon recognizing an individual whose presence might threaten the safety and order of their environment. Henderson resident Les Pierre Streater told local media that Bovino “deserves any and all criticism from the public,” though he stopped short of fully endorsing the ejection itself. The bar’s action demonstrates how private businesses can exercise autonomy separate from government authority, even when dealing with federal officials.

Viral Video Amplifies the Controversy

Photos and video footage captured Bovino walking the Strip after his ejection, still accompanied by younger men, seemingly unbothered by the incident. The images spread rapidly across social media platforms, where critics seized on the timing. Here was a man laughing and drinking expensive wine mere days after two American citizens died under operations he commanded and defended publicly. The visual contrast between Bovino’s leisure and the grief of families in Minneapolis proved damaging. The footage transformed a local bar incident into a national symbol of disconnect between enforcement leadership and the human costs of their policies. For many observers, the ejection represented accountability in action, however small.

Long-Term Implications for Federal Enforcement

This incident may signal changing dynamics for controversial federal agents in public spaces. When even a Las Vegas tourist bar decides a federal commander poses enough reputational risk to warrant removal, other establishments might follow suit. The episode also highlights vulnerabilities in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy. Operations that result in citizen deaths create political liabilities that force personnel changes, undermining continuity and morale. Border Patrol recruitment could suffer as prospective agents witness how quickly the administration distances itself from commanders when operations generate negative coverage. Bovino’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the personal consequences of implementing aggressive policies that cross lines most Americans consider unacceptable, regardless of their immigration stance.