The U.S. Department of Defense has issued prepare-to-deploy orders for approximately 1,500 active-duty soldiers to potentially mobilize to Minnesota, where large-scale protests have erupted against a federal deportation drive. This development, first reported by U.S. media on Sunday, January 18, comes as confrontations between residents and federal immigration agents intensify.
Trump's Threat and the Surge of Federal Agents
The potential military mobilization follows a direct threat from President Donald Trump. On Thursday, he warned on his Truth Social platform that he would invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces if state officials in Minnesota do not stop protesters from targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.
This threat came after Trump sent nearly 3,000 federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since early last week. The president has framed these interventions, often in cities led by Democratic politicians, as necessary to fight crime and protect federal property.
Cold-Weather Specialists on Standby
According to reports from the Washington Post and ABC News, the soldiers placed on standby orders are not a general force. They specialize in cold-weather operations and are assigned to two infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska.
The Pentagon's move is described as a precautionary measure. A White House statement to the Post noted it is typical for the Defense Department "to be prepared for any decision the President may or may not make." It remains unclear if any of the soldiers will ultimately be deployed.
Roots of the Crisis: A Fatal Shooting and Federal Overreach Claims
Tensions in Minnesota, particularly in Minneapolis, escalated sharply after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, on January 7. The shooting occurred as she was driving away after being ordered to exit her car.
In response to the growing unrest, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has mobilized the state's National Guard to support local agencies. Governor Walz is himself under a criminal investigation by the Justice Department. Local leaders have consistently accused President Trump of federal overreach, arguing he exaggerates isolated violence to justify sending in troops.
President Trump has repeatedly cited a scandal involving the theft of federal social-welfare funds in Minnesota and singled out the state's Somali immigrant community as a rationale for the surge in immigration agents.
The Insurrection Act is a powerful federal law allowing the president to deploy the U.S. military or federalize National Guard troops within the country to suppress domestic uprisings or unlawful obstructions of federal authority.
