The Pentagon has directed approximately 1,500 active-duty soldiers to make preparations for a potential deployment to Minnesota, where significant protests against the government’s deportation policies have taken place, as reported by U.S. media outlets on Sunday. These units have been placed on standby orders in case the situation worsens in the northern state, as per sources cited by the Washington Post. It remains uncertain if any of these soldiers will be dispatched.
In response to these developments, the White House emphasized that the Pentagon is routinely ready for any decisions that the President may consider, according to a statement given to the Post. Both the Pentagon and the White House did not provide immediate responses to Reuters’ requests for comments.
Amid escalating tensions in Minnesota, President Donald Trump issued a warning on Thursday regarding the potential use of the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces if state officials fail to prevent protesters from targeting immigration enforcement personnel following an increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities.
The soldiers identified for possible deployment specialize in cold-weather operations and are part of two U.S. army infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, situated in Alaska, as reported by the Washington Post and ABC News. The relationship between residents and federal officers in Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota, has become strained, particularly after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, on January 7 during an encounter where she was asked to exit her vehicle.
President Trump has dispatched nearly 3,000 federal agents from ICE and U.S. Border Patrol to Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul in response to recent events. He has justified these deployments, including in cities led by Democratic officials, as necessary measures to combat criminal activities and safeguard federal assets from protesters. However, the President announced the withdrawal of the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland due to legal challenges faced by the administration.
Local leaders have criticized President Trump for what they perceive as federal overreach and exploiting isolated incidents of violence to justify military interventions. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is under a criminal investigation by the Justice Department, has mobilized the state’s National Guard to support local law enforcement and emergency management efforts.
The President has repeatedly referenced issues surrounding federal fund misappropriation in Minnesota as a basis for deploying immigration agents. Notably, the Administration has targeted the Somali immigrant community in the state. The Insurrection Act, a federal law empowering the President to deploy military forces or federalize National Guard troops domestically to suppress uprisings, has been a focal point of discussions amid the escalating situation. This law can be invoked in cases of unlawful obstructions, rebellions, or combinations against federal authority, allowing the armed forces to enforce laws and quell rebellious activities.