Trump Threatens to Invoke Insurrection Act Amid Minnesota Immigration Protests
Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces in Minnesota following days of protests triggered by a surge in immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis, according to an international media report.
Tensions escalated after an immigration enforcement officer fatally shot a US citizen, Renee Good, in Minneapolis eight days ago. Protests have since spread to other cities. The latest threat came hours after another incident in which an immigration officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in the leg while authorities said he was fleeing a traffic stop in Minneapolis.
In a social media post, Trump warned that if Minnesota’s political leadership failed to restore order, he would invoke the Insurrection Act, accusing protesters of attacking federal officers. He has previously criticized the state’s Democratic leadership and made remarks targeting communities of Somali origin.
Nearly 3,000 federal officers have already been deployed to the Minneapolis area, patrolling streets in military-style gear. Their presence has been met with sustained protests, including whistle-blowing, chanting, and demonstrations near the site of the latest shooting.
On Wednesday night, confrontations intensified as officers used flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds. Later, a small group vandalized a vehicle believed to belong to federal officers, scrawling threatening graffiti referencing a senior homeland security official.
Since the enforcement surge began, authorities have arrested both undocumented migrants and protesters. Reports said officers have at times forcibly removed individuals from vehicles and demanded identification from Black and Latino US citizens, further fueling public anger.
