Officials in Minnesota allege Bovino used language offensive to Jews on conference call

Gregory Bovino, the controversial Border Patrol leader who helped oversee the immigration surge in Minnesota, allegedly used language offensive to the Jewish federal officials on a recent call, multiple sources familiar with the call told CBS News. In:

Gregory Bovino, the controversial Border Patrol leader who helped oversee the immigration surge in Minnesota, allegedly used language offensive to the Jewish federal officials on a recent call, multiple sources familiar with the call told CBS News.

The call, which was held on Jan. 12, five days after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis, involved multiple federal officials who were trying to coordinate a Saturday meeting to discuss issues related to the massive deployment of federal immigration agents in the area. Bovino was told on the call that Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, an Orthodox Jew, could not attend that meeting because he observes the Sabbath.

Bovino allegedly responded with audible frustration that Rosen was not available for the Saturday meeting, sources familiar with the planning call said. One of them recounted that Bovino replied, "Do Orthodox criminals also take off on Saturday?" 

That source said Bovino also used the phrase "chosen people" in a disparaging manner.

Another source briefed on the conversation described Bovino's alleged remarks as an "antisemitic rant." The New York Times first reported Bovino's alleged comments.