US President Donald Trump has warned that he may invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law, to control growing unrest linked to immigration enforcement in Minnesota. The warning came after violent protests and property damage in Minneapolis, following two separate shooting incidents involving federal immigration officers.
The Insurrection Act, passed in 1807, allows a US president to deploy active-duty military forces inside the country to carry out law enforcement duties during serious unrest. Trump has discussed using this law in the past but has never formally done so.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would use the law if Minnesota officials fail to stop what he described as “professional agitators and insurrectionists.” The statement followed a night of clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers in Minneapolis.
Shootings Involving ICE Agents Spark Protests
Tensions in Minneapolis have been high since 7 January, when Renee Nicole Good, 37, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a federal immigration operation. The Trump administration says the agent acted in self-defence, while local officials argue that Good did not pose a threat.
Video footage of the incident shows ICE agents approaching a car stopped in the middle of the street. As Good attempted to drive away, one agent standing in front of the vehicle fired three shots. The FBI is investigating the fatal shooting. An online fundraiser for Good’s widow and family has raised more than $1.4 million.
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This week, tensions rose further after another shooting involving a federal immigration officer. On Wednesday, an ICE agent shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, in the leg following a car chase in Minneapolis. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Sosa-Celis had previously been convicted of driving without a licence.
DHS said that after the chase ended, Sosa-Celis exited his vehicle and fought with the agent. Two other Venezuelan nationals, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, reportedly came out of a nearby apartment and joined the confrontation. DHS said all three attacked the agent with a snow shovel and a broom handle.
The agent then opened fire, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. Both the agent and Sosa-Celis were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All three men were arrested. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as an attempted murder of a federal officer.
Clashes, Federal Response, and Insurrection Act
Following Wednesday’s shooting, clashes broke out between protesters and law enforcement in the Hawthorne area of Minneapolis, near the scene of the incident. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers were hit by fireworks, ice, and snowballs during the disorder.
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Several vehicles belonging to the federal government were damaged, and property was stolen from inside them. The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the recovery of stolen government property or the arrest of those responsible for the damage.
Around 3,000 federal officers have been deployed to Minnesota in recent weeks as part of Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement effort. Trump said the operation will continue after a federal judge denied Minnesota prosecutors a temporary restraining order against ICE.
Local leaders have criticized the federal response. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who has called for ICE to leave the city, said the situation in Minneapolis is not sustainable. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged calm and asked for tensions to be lowered, warning against further chaos.
The unfolding events in Minnesota highlight deep divisions over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and public order, as protests and law enforcement operations continue under intense national attention.