Pentagon Puts 1,500 Soldiers on Alert for Minnesota Deployment

The Pentagon has ordered roughly 1,500 active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, defense officials confirmed on Sunday. The move marks an escalation in federal response to growing protests in the state, where demonstrations have intensified following a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer earlier this month.

The soldiers, assigned to two infantry battalions with the Army's 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska, have been placed on alert to respond to potentially escalating violence in the Minneapolis area. Pentagon officials described the action as "prudent planning" in response to the unfolding situation.

Background

The deployment order comes amid a surge of federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota that has resulted in more than 2,500 arrests. The Twin Cities are home to roughly 80,000 people of Somali ancestry, the vast majority of whom are legal residents or American citizens. The Trump administration has focused significant resources on the state as part of a nationwide mass deportation campaign, citing a series of fraud cases involving government programs where most of the defendants have roots in Somalia.

Tensions escalated after an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7. Administration officials have characterized Good as a "violent rioter" who "weaponized" her vehicle by making contact with the officer as she attempted to drive away from a group of agents. The shooting sparked nationwide protests and outrage from elected officials across the country, with civil rights groups and Minnesota officials accusing federal officers of violently targeting immigrants and citizens alike.

Key Details

President Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act on January 15 if Minnesota officials do not stop protesters from targeting immigration agents. The Insurrection Act is a 19th-century federal law that allows the president to deploy military forces within the country to suppress civil disorder, insurrection, or rebellion when state authorities are unable or unwilling to do so.

"If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of ICE, who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the Insurrection Act," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

The 11th Airborne Division, which specializes in cold-weather operations, was selected for the possible deployment. Pentagon officials said the troops have been placed on alert to respond to potentially escalating violence in the Minneapolis area.

The Insurrection Act

The law was last invoked by former President George H.W. Bush in 1992 to suppress Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King. Its use remains controversial and rarely deployed. Trump has already faced legal challenges for ordering National Guard troops to several Democratic-led cities last year. A federal judge previously criticized the move as creating "a national police force with the president as its chief."

In December, the Supreme Court blocked the administration from sending military forces into Chicago. Trump later announced the withdrawal of service members from other cities following these legal setbacks.

What This Means

The Pentagon's action signals the administration's determination to maintain federal immigration operations in Minnesota despite legal opposition. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have roundly rejected allegations connected to the surge and defended their response to what the mayor has called "chaos and danger" brought on the city by the Trump administration.

Minnesota officials have sued the administration to stop the surge, alleging the operation is politically motivated and unconstitutional. The Justice Department has simultaneously launched a criminal investigation into both Walz and Frey, though both officials have rejected the allegations.

A federal judge has already imposed restrictions on federal officers operating in the state, blocking them from "retaliating" against protesters and firing riot control weapons into crowds. The same order prevents officers from "stopping or detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles" when there is "no reasonable articulable suspicion that they are obstructing officers or roads."

Federal lawsuits have accused immigration enforcement officers of following demonstrators and observers home, firing chemical spray and rubber bullets, and threatening them with arrest. The clash between federal enforcement efforts and state opposition, combined with ongoing public protests, has created significant tension in Minnesota.

The Pentagon and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the deployment order.