Retired Chief Border Patrol Agent Greg Bovino, once a prominent figure in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement, appears to be setting his sights on the presidency. Hours after NewsNation reported that Bovino was exploring a potential 2028 presidential run, he outlined his platform in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Bovino's Platform
In his post, Bovino stated: "NewsNation is reporting I'm exploring a run for President in 2028. Here's the truth: My one and only priority is deporting the 106 million illegals who are here. That's it." He further claimed that the "grassroots support" he is seeing indicates that "the polls are completely wrong" and suggested that "90% of the country wants mass deportations."
Background and Controversy
Bovino was demoted from his position as Border Patrol commander in January following public outrage over brutal raids and the deaths of two U.S. citizens. Despite polls showing that Americans largely disapprove of President Donald Trump's immigration strategy, Bovino dismissed these findings, insisting that his proposed mass deportations enjoy widespread support.
Discrepancies in Numbers
According to Census Bureau estimates for 2025, the total U.S. population is approximately 341 million. Bovino's claim of deporting 106 million people would amount to nearly one-third of the country's population. However, his figures appear to grossly overestimate the number of undocumented immigrants. The Pew Research Center estimated that around 14 million undocumented immigrants were living in the U.S. in 2023, a number that has reportedly decreased since Trump took office. To reach figures close to Bovino's, one would need to misinterpret visa data, which combines short-term tourist visas, green-card holders, and estimates of undocumented immigrants into a single inflated number.
