President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to ongoing protests in Minneapolis following a second federal immigration agent-involved shooting. The law, rarely used by presidents, allows for the deployment of the US military or federalizing of the National Guard for domestic law enforcement purposes.
The threat comes amid escalating tensions in Minneapolis, where demonstrations have erupted since an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7. The latest shooting occurred on Wednesday when federal officers stopped a driver who is in the US illegally, leading to a confrontation with two people who emerged from a nearby apartment and attacked the officer.
Trump's social media post directed his threat at Minnesota officials, accusing them of failing to control "professional agitators and insurrectionists." He stated that if they don't obey the law and stop the protests, he will institute the Insurrection Act, which many Presidents have done before him, and quickly put an end to the unrest.
The Insurrection Act has been used more than two dozen times in US history, most recently by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 to end unrest in Los Angeles. Local authorities had requested federal assistance, but Bush used the law to deploy troops.
Minnesota officials have described the situation as "unprecedented," with Governor Tim Walz characterizing the federal presence as an "invasion" that is overwhelming his city. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has also condemned the federal operation, saying it has inflamed tensions and scared residents.
Federal immigration officers have made over 2,500 arrests in Minnesota since November 29 as part of an expanded enforcement operation. However, state and local leaders have criticized the effort, calling it a campaign of organized brutality.
The Department of Homeland Security has denied any plans to formally invoke the Insurrection Act, but federal officials say enforcement operations will continue in the Twin Cities despite ongoing protests and lawsuits challenging the law. The events in Minneapolis have also been felt in Michigan, where concerns about federal immigration enforcement have been building for months.
The threat comes amid escalating tensions in Minneapolis, where demonstrations have erupted since an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7. The latest shooting occurred on Wednesday when federal officers stopped a driver who is in the US illegally, leading to a confrontation with two people who emerged from a nearby apartment and attacked the officer.
Trump's social media post directed his threat at Minnesota officials, accusing them of failing to control "professional agitators and insurrectionists." He stated that if they don't obey the law and stop the protests, he will institute the Insurrection Act, which many Presidents have done before him, and quickly put an end to the unrest.
The Insurrection Act has been used more than two dozen times in US history, most recently by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 to end unrest in Los Angeles. Local authorities had requested federal assistance, but Bush used the law to deploy troops.
Minnesota officials have described the situation as "unprecedented," with Governor Tim Walz characterizing the federal presence as an "invasion" that is overwhelming his city. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has also condemned the federal operation, saying it has inflamed tensions and scared residents.
Federal immigration officers have made over 2,500 arrests in Minnesota since November 29 as part of an expanded enforcement operation. However, state and local leaders have criticized the effort, calling it a campaign of organized brutality.
The Department of Homeland Security has denied any plans to formally invoke the Insurrection Act, but federal officials say enforcement operations will continue in the Twin Cities despite ongoing protests and lawsuits challenging the law. The events in Minneapolis have also been felt in Michigan, where concerns about federal immigration enforcement have been building for months.
This is getting super out of hand... Like, I get that people are upset after those ICE agent shootings, but threatening to deploy the military? That's just gonna make things worse 
. The fact that Trump is bringing up the Insurrection Act is wild – like, isn't that just for some major national crisis? Not a bunch of protests in Minneapolis 
. And what's with all these arrests? 2,500+ people detained since Nov 29th? That's crazy! 
State and local leaders are right to say this is an invasion... it feels like they're not being heard at all 
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Trump is literally playing with fire here. I mean, I know he's got a history of being all extra, but this time it's getting serious. If he invokes the Insurrection Act, it's gonna be like, totally unconstitutional and stuff. And what even is the point of deploying troops in Minneapolis when the situation already has everyone so tense? 
The fact that Trump is threatening to do this just shows how out of touch he is with the American people. We need local leaders and police reform, not more military presence! 
. The fact that federal immigration officers have made over 2,500 arrests since November 29 is crazy – it feels like they're targeting communities that are already vulnerable to police brutality 
. We need more leaders who care about listening to people's concerns and working together to build trust, not just sending in troops to "put down" protests 
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200 arrests a day is insane, what does that even look like on a human level? 
it's not just about enforcing laws, it's about people's lives. governor tim walz is right, this feels like an invasion 
He's just gonna send in the troops and expect everyone to calm down? Give me a break! The fact that local officials are saying it's an "invasion" is basically true - who needs the National Guard showing up with guns drawn when you've got people peacefully protesting? It's like he's more worried about being seen as tough than actually solving the problem. And what about those 2,500 arrests they made since November 29? Is that really what the country needs right now? More deportations and fewer questions asked about the system? I don't think so! 