Gregory Bovino, head of the U.S. Border Patrol Division, was a brave agent who led military personnel to MacArthur Park this summer – who was called as a protester Wednesday in a misdemeanor attack that allegedly attacked a federal agent.
Bovino, one of President Trump’s faces of immigrant suppression that began in Los Angeles, is now in progress in Chicago, and his position testified that he witnessed the June 7 attack on Paramount’s Brayan Ramos-Brito.
Bovino, wearing his green border patrol uniform, testified that he witnessed Ramos-Brito pulling his arm back and hitting an agent in front of his chest with his open palm.
The incident occurred in a skirmish outside federal buildings between federal law enforcement officers and locals frustrated by Trump’s immigration policy.
During cross-examination, federal public defender Cuauhtemoc Ortega questioned Bovino as the subject of misconduct investigations a few years ago and was condemned for calling undocumented immigrants “Scum, Filth and Trash.”
Bovino denied referring to undocumented immigrants in this way, saying he was referring to “an specific criminal illegal foreigner” – he said that Honduran nationals had raped a child and reentered the United States and were arrested at or near the Baton Rouge border patrol station.
“I say it’s not true about a particular person, not about an undocumented nation,” he said.
Ortega stepped back, reading from the condemnation that Bovino signed the condemnation and said he was describing “illegal foreigner.”
“They didn’t say an illegal alien,” Ortega said. “They say you describe illegal foreigners and/or criminals as scum, garbage and filth are misconduct. Isn’t that right?”
“The report states,” Bovino said.
If Bovino commits any misconduct again, warn: “You may be fired.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles said this week that more than 40 people have been charged with a series of federal crimes this summer, including assault on officials and interfering with immigration enforcement, or the scene of immigration attacks across the region this summer.
Ramos-Brito’s case was the first trial case.
The case revolves around the protest center outside Paramount Business Center, across the street from Home Depot.
Tensions are already high, with federal officials raiding retail and distribution warehouses in downtown Los Angeles in early June, arresting dozens of workers and a top union official.
At the Paramount Complex, which has the Office of Homeland Security Investigation, protesters arrived around 10 a.m. on June 7. Among them is Ramos-Brito.
Several videos played in court Tuesday showed Ramos-Brito cursing with another man on the Border Patrol agent and stomping inches out of his face with his fist. Once, Ramos-Brito approached several agents from the Border Patrol that seemed to be Latino and said, “If you are Mexican, you will be ashamed.”
assistant. We atty. Patrick Kibbe said that while many protesters showed Ramos-Brito “passionately” they hit U.S. Border Patrol Jonathan Morales, crossing the line.
“The right to peaceful protests with constitutional powers. Attacking federal officials is a crime,” Keib said.
But federal public defender M. Bo Griffith said Ramos-Brito was the victim of the attack, not the other way around.
Social media and physically worn-out photographic footage played in court clearly showed that Morales first pushed Ramos-Brito, causing him to fly backward to the intersection of busy Alondra Blvd. When the video showed Morales clenching his fist with his fist, he was clearly grasping the so-called attack.
Except for Morales, three other agents took the stance Tuesday, but no one said they saw Ramos-Brito hit Morales. According to the Border Patrol, the agents who testified did not have any cameras equipped with meat on the same day. Chief Jorge Rivera-Navarro serves as Chief of Staff for “large-scale operations” in Los Angeles.
Navarro said that in recent months, some Border Patrol teams have flocked to stations, which usually don’t wear cameras with body shapes. He testified that an order was issued afterwards that resulted in the camera being distributed to agents working in Los Angeles.
When Ramos-Brito stepped onto Border Patrol Agent Eduardo Mejorado, the clash that led to the assault charges began with the assault charges, who said he repeatedly asked Ramos-Brito to move to the sidewalk as protests hindered traffic. The video shows Mejorado put his hand on Ramos-Brito’s shoulder and the defendant shook it away.
At that time, Morales, a 24-year veteran of the Border Patrol, said he thought he needed to step in and reduce the situation between his agent and Ramos-Brito. According to the video played in the court, he did so by pushing Ramos-Brito backward into the intersection. Morales said Ramos Brito then charged him with accusation while cursing and threw a punch to the upper part of his chest and throat.
During cross-examination, Griffith faced the inconsistency between their previous description of the incidents of the Homeland Security Investigator and court testimony. This is not the first time such a difference has affected the case.
Federal prosecutors have previously filed charges against another protester, Jose Mojica, who was arrested along with Ramos-Brito, after the videotape questioned testimony from immigration law enforcement officers.
According to the summary of the investigation of Mojica’s arrest previously reviewed by The Times, Mejorado claimed a man screamed in his face and was going to “shoot him” and then beat him in the Paramount protest. The official said he and other agents began chasing the man but were “stopped by two other men” and later identified as Mojika and Ramos Brito.
The video played in court Tuesday, previously reported on The Times, showed that the sequence of events did not occur. Ramos-Brito and Mojica were arrested among a group of agents after Ramos-Brito attacked Mojica. No chase.
A Homeland Security spokesperson challenged Mojika’s case in July and they were unable to comment on the case “under proactive litigation.”
Defense attorneys said Ramos-Brito suffered multiple contusions in his face, neck and back, and cuts and scratches on his body to avoid being dragged onto the sidewalk later.
According to his attorney, Ramos-Brito’s only interaction with law enforcement is driving without a driver’s license.
The case may prove to be the leader in other immigration protest allegations made by action. Bill Essayli is in areas where many potential jurors have negative views on immigration enforcement, or perhaps the immigration itself.
U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson had to withdraw 21 potential jurors from the pool Tuesday morning, some of whom said they couldn’t be just because of their perception of immigration policy.
Many potential jurors say they are first or second generation immigrants from the Philippines, Colombia, Bulgaria, Jamaica and Canada.
“I believe immigration is part of this country and I have a bit of a preference with the defendant,” said a man in Lancaster gardener.
