Sometimes a phone call can change everything. President Donald Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spoke Monday about a deportation operation in Minneapolis that's turned into a genuine crisis, and both sides walked away sounding surprisingly conciliatory.

An Unexpected Detente

Trump told reporters he found himself "on a similar wavelength" with the Democratic governor after deploying roughly 3,000 agents to the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area. Walz's office characterized the conversation as "productive," noting that Trump agreed to consider pulling back the federal presence and directing the Department of Homeland Security to let Minnesota investigate the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and American citizen.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who had his own conversation with the president, said Trump acknowledged the "present situation can't continue." Federal agents will start leaving the Twin Cities as soon as Tuesday, according to Frey.

Leadership Shake-Up in the Field

Behind the scenes, there's been a significant personnel change. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino is heading back to California, with Trump's border czar Tom Homan taking direct control of Minnesota operations. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Bovino was removed as Border Patrol "commander at large" and reassigned to his previous role as chief patrol agent in California's El Centro sector, where he's expected to retire soon.

The Atlantic first reported the demotion, though DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin pushed back on that characterization.

Public Opinion Shifts Against Aggressive Enforcement

The diplomatic outreach follows growing backlash to "Operation Metro Surge," which has now seen two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents. A fresh Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals the political stakes: only 39% of Americans approve of Trump's immigration approach, while 58% believe Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have crossed a line.

This represents a notable shift for a president who promised "the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History" last June. While some Americans still back his border wall plans, polling shows widespread opposition to aggressive workplace raids and enforcement tactics.