Released Evidence Shows Border Patrol Chief Praised Agent Who Shot US Citizen Marimar Martinez Five Times in Chicago

On the afternoon of 4 October last year, hours after Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum shot Marimar Martinez five times in her vehicle on a residential street in Chicago's Brighton Park neighbourhood, his phone lit up with congratulations. Among the first to reach out was Gregory Bovino, then the most prominent face of the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign First Thing: Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryGregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car. Plus, US jobs rise by 130,000 in January Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

"In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!" Bovino wrote to Exum in an email urging the agent to delay his retirement Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle.. The message was sent at 3:11 p.m., while Martinez — a 30-year-old Montessori school assistant with no criminal record — was still being treated in hospital for seven wound tracks left by Exum's five rounds Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

The email was among a trove of evidence released this week after US District Judge Georgia Alexakis lifted a protective order that federal prosecutors had sought to maintain. The government had argued that disclosure could "further sully" the reputation of the agent involved. Alexakis was unpersuaded. "I don't know why the United States government has expressed zero concern for the sullying of Ms Martinez's reputation," the judge said Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

The released materials offer a rare, unfiltered view into the culture within federal enforcement during the Chicago immigration crackdown known as Operation Midway Blitz. Body-worn camera footage from another agent in Exum's vehicle captured the moments before the shooting. "It's time to get aggressive and get the (expletive) out," an agent can be heard saying as Martinez followed their vehicle and honked her horn to warn community members of the agents' presence First Thing: Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryGregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car. Plus, US jobs rise by 130,000 in January Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

Seconds later, body camera footage shows the agents' Chevrolet Tahoe appearing to steer into Martinez's car. Exum exited the vehicle and fired five shots. He was not wearing his own body camera at the time Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

In a group text chain called "Posse Chat," fellow agents celebrated the shooting. One called Exum a "legend" and offered to buy him beers. When Exum later shared a news article quoting Martinez's lawyer about her injuries — "seven holes in her body from five shots" — he responded: "5 shots, 7 holes. Put that in your book boys" Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

The evidence also revealed apparent high-level support for Exum. When a colleague asked whether his superiors had been "supportive," Exum replied: "Big time. Everyone has been including Chief Bovino, Chief Banks, Sec Noem and El Jefe himself ... according to Bovino" Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle.. The reference to "El Jefe" — Spanish for "the Boss" — appeared to indicate President Trump himself.

Almost immediately after the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security labelled Martinez a "domestic terrorist" and accused her of having a history of "doxxing federal agents." Her lawyers say neither claim has been supported by any evidence. Prosecutors also charged Martinez with a felony, accusing her of ramming agents with her vehicle. The charge was dismissed after video evidence showed it was an agent who had steered into Martinez's car First Thing: Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryGregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car. Plus, US jobs rise by 130,000 in January Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

The DHS also produced a hand-drawn diagram of the scene that included three vehicles her lawyers say "don't exist," an apparent attempt to bolster the narrative that Martinez had "boxed in" federal agents Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

Judge Alexakis had previously concluded in separate proceedings that Bovino had lied to her about having been struck by a rock during a confrontation with protesters in Chicago. Bovino was subsequently demoted after video evidence showed he had also lied about the circumstances of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a VA nurse killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Bovino had claimed Pretti "approached law enforcement with a weapon," "violently resisted," and wanted to "massacre law enforcement" — none of which was supported by the evidence Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

The released documents come at a politically sensitive moment. An NBC/SurveyMonkey poll found that 49 percent of American adults strongly disapprove of the Trump administration's handling of border security and immigration, compared with 34 percent who strongly disapproved in a similar poll last April First Thing: Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryGregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car. Plus, US jobs rise by 130,000 in January Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

Last week, Martinez testified before congressional Democrats, describing the whiplash of her experience. "On Friday I was teaching the young children at the Montessori school and we were singing and dancing and getting ready for spooky season," she said. "On Saturday my own government was calling me a 'domestic terrorist' and I was in a federal detention center with bullet holes all over my body" Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

Martinez's lawyers are pursuing a complaint under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Her attorney Christopher Parente said at a press conference: "This is a time where we just cannot trust the words of our federal officials" Border patrol chief praised federal agent who shot US citizen in Chicagotheguardian.com·SecondaryNew evidence shows Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle..

The case has become a focal point in the broader debate over the use of force in immigration enforcement, particularly as federal agents have been deployed to American cities with increasingly aggressive tactics. Critics argue the evidence pattern — the congratulatory messages, the false labelling, the fabricated diagrams — reveals a systemic culture of impunity within CBP rather than the actions of a single rogue agent.