Tensions Rise in Minneapolis: 1,500 Soldiers on Standby Amid Protests

Mon Jan 19 2026 12:29:05 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Minnesota officials are facing escalating tensions as 1,500 soldiers remain on standby for potential deployment following protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. Calls for peaceful demonstrations coincide with inflammatory rhetoric from federal authorities.

As protests against ICE continue in Minneapolis, 1,500 soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska are on standby for possible deployment at the request of President Trump. Local leaders are urging peace while condemning the government's militarized response. The situation intensified following a federal judge's order limiting crowd control tactics and public outcry over the recent death of a legal observer during an ICE operation.

Soldiers are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis, a US defense official has stated. The official confirmed that the 1,500 soldiers, who are currently stationed in Alaska, represent a resource for President Donald Trump should he decide to utilize active military personnel as protests continue in the city against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

No decision has yet been made regarding the deployment of these soldiers, according to the official announcement.

Local officials have been urging demonstrators to conduct their protests in a peaceful and orderly manner following a tragic incident in which an ICE agent fatally shot US citizen Renee Good earlier this month. She was present as a legal observer monitoring ICE activities during the incident.

Despite this call for peace, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has condemned Trump's proposals to deploy military forces, arguing that the presence of federal ICE agents already constitutes an 'occupying force' in the city.

Frey stated, 'You can go through whatever rhetorical flourish you want, but when you have 3,000 ICE agents and border control come to the city, it feels very much like an invasion.'

The situation intensified when Trump threatened to invoke the rarely-used Insurrection Act, potentially allowing the deployment of active-duty troops for law enforcement purposes within the US.

In the backdrop of these tensions, a US federal judge has issued an order to limit the crowd control tactics used by ICE agents against protesters, especially those who are peaceful and unobstructive.

Deepening the divide, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem dismissed the judge's ruling as 'a little ridiculous,' insisting that the enforcement measures currently in place would remain unchanged as they are necessary for ensuring public safety.

Amid rising tensions, the state's National Guard has been mobilized and placed on alert by Governor Tim Walz, addressing increasing concerns about public safety during the ongoing protests against ICE.

These events mark a significant escalation in local tensions and have sparked national discussions regarding law enforcement practices and the treatment of protestors.