On Tuesday, Border Czar Greg Bovino alleged nearly 500 "criminal aliens" were released from state custody.
ST PAUL, Minn. — At a news conference on Tuesday, ICE officials alleged that hundreds of undocumented criminals have been released from Minnesota custody.
Except, the head of the state's prison system, Commissioner Paul Schnell, says that's false and that Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino's data doesn't align with records from the Department of Corrections.
Schnell was appointed to his role in 2019, but has three decades of law enforcement experience. He oversees prisons, not local jails, and says it's unclear what systems, timeframes or documentation Bovino is using to make such allegations.
"Here we are, trying to work together and collaborate, and yet this information's being put out that's just fundamentally false," said Schnell.
In a news release from January 15th, the Department of Corrections writes, "Minnesota law requires DOC to notify ICE when an individual committed to DOC custody is not a United States citizen. DOC fully complies with this requirement and goes further by honoring all detainers as a matter of policy, even though state law does not require detainer compliance. ICE alone determines whether to place a detainer and is responsible for arranging pickup."
Schnell says his agency released 84 people to ICE with immigration holds in 2025 and even facilitated the transfer.
Bovino also said ICE arrested 113 people in Minnesota over the weekend and the...
On Tuesday, Border Czar Greg Bovino alleged nearly 500 "criminal aliens" were released from state custody. ST PAUL, Minn. — At a news conference on Tuesday, ICE officials alleged that hundreds of u...