Law enforcement isn't supposed to act like this
Law enforcement's power is derived from a bargain with the people they serve. They're not supposed to be ideologues. They're not supposed to wear masks and lie.
The Living South was created by journalist Billy Ball in 2025. Every Tuesday, I write about the most interesting stories, people, and thoughts in the American South. Want to republish something in The Living South? Write me. If you like The Living South, share it with your friends. That's how we grow.
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On Sunday, as Border Patrol and ICE agents embarked on the fifth day of "Operation Catahoula Crunch" in New Orleans, Gregory Bovino took a break from his job in law enforcement to focus on politics.
Bovino, a senior official in the US Border Patrol since 2019, was spinning a stabbing on Charlotte's light rail like he had his own talk show on Fox News.
It was the second high-profile stabbing on the Charlotte light rail since August, the first being the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. In this case, an undocumented man from Honduras was charged with stabbing a man in the chest during an argument.
The victim was reportedly in critical but stable condition. NC Gov. Josh Stein issued a statement condemning the crime. And then Bovino went ballistic. Keep reading.
