Trump Threatens to Invoke Insurrection Act to Deploy Troops to Minnesota After ICE Protests

Minnesota officials and the White House are in open conflict as protests continue in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of an immigrant woman by a federal immigration agent.

Governor Tim Walz has called for a reduction in tensions as demonstrations persist near the site of Wednesday’s shooting. He has urged President Donald Trump to step back from what he describes as an increasingly confrontational federal response. At the same time, Walz has begun reaching out to business leaders, members of Congress, other governors and civic figures to coordinate pressure on the administration to alter its approach.

The governor has paired his criticism of federal immigration enforcement with appeals to protesters. He has acknowledged the fear and anger within affected communities while urging demonstrations to remain non-violent. Walz warned that disorder would make the situation more difficult to resolve. Local authorities report that tensions are rising. 

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said some gatherings near the shooting location have involved unlawful behaviour, complicating efforts to maintain public order. Federal agencies have rejected the governor’s position. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said responsibility lies with state leadership and called for greater cooperation with federal detention requests. 

The Department of Homeland Security has indicated it will maintain its operational presence despite growing protests and scrutiny of its actions. The dispute intensified after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the administration has discussed invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy military forces within the United States. 

Noem defended ICE officers involved in recent operations, alleging they were attacked with improvised weapons during an arrest that left another man injured. She said federal enforcement actions in Minnesota would continue.

President Trump has reinforced that stance, warning that he may invoke the Insurrection Act if state and local authorities do not control what he has described as organised resistance to federal agents. In public statements, he has framed ICE operations as necessary to combat violent crime and dismissed legal efforts by Minnesota officials to stop them. 

A federal judge on Wednesday declined to grant a temporary restraining order sought by state and city prosecutors, allowing enforcement activity to proceed.

At the state level, concerns extend beyond the protests. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has launched an independent investigation into the killing of a Venezuelan national by an ICE officer earlier this week, as well as the earlier death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot during a federal operation in south Minneapolis. 

The Justice Department previously intervened in that case, drawing criticism from state officials. Democratic lawmakers have also raised concerns about reports of ICE agents operating inside hospitals. They argue that the presence of armed immigration officers in healthcare facilities threatens patient safety and infringes constitutional protections, particularly when no judicial warrant is presented. 

In a joint statement, the legislators urged hospitals to block such access and called for ICE to withdraw from the state. Minnesota has become a focal point in the national debate over immigration enforcement and presidential authority. Trump has previously suggested using the Insurrection Act in other cities, though courts have resisted similar actions.