Border Patrol's Gregory Bovino to retire, sources say

Gregory Bovino, the U.S. Border Patrol agent who became the face of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, will retire at the end of the month, sources say.

Gregory Bovino, the U.S. Border Patrol head who became the face of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, will retire at the end of the month, two Customs and Border Protection officials told NBC News.

Bovino was removed from his role as CBP commander at large in January and returned to his role as Border Patrol sector chief in El Centro, California. The move came after the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and aggressive immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles.

His exit coincides with the date Trump announced would be Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s last day in the job. In Bovino's position as commander, he reported directly to Noem and her senior adviser Corey Lewandowski.

Bovino was also eligible for retirement and one year away from the mandatory retirement age in CBP of 57.

Bovino and his agents were visible presences in Chicago and its suburbs last year.Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune via Getty Images fileAn email obtained by NBC News showed Bovino was frustrated in Chicago in the fall when he was told to conduct “targeted” arrests rather than “full scale immigration enforcement.”