President Donald Trump threatened to “institute the Insurrection Act” in Minneapolis Thursday morning to quell protests in opposition to immigration enforcement.
MINNEAPOLIS โ President Donald Trump threatened to “institute the Insurrection Act” in Minneapolis Thursday morning to quell protests in opposition to federal immigration enforcement operations.
“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota donโt obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State. Thank you for you attention to this matter! President DJT,” the president wrote.
The Insurrection Act would allow Trump to send U.S. military troops into the state, as well as federalize the Minnesota National Guard.
The announcement comes the day after a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot a man in the leg after claiming he was attacked by the suspect. Neighbors also reportedly hit the agent with a shovel and broom handle. In response to the shooting, protesters showed up at the scene in north Minneapolis, at times throwing snowballs at law enforcement as they were teargassed.
Governor Walz posted a direct message to Trump and Minnesotans on Thursday morning, requesting that they stop fanning the flames.ย
“I am making a direct appeal to the President: Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop the campaign of retribution. This is not who we are. And an appeal to Minnesotans: I know this is scary. We can โ we must โ speak out loudly, urgently, but also peacefully. We cannot fan the flames of chaos. That’s what he wants.”
At the White House Thursday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said she and the president discussed the possibility of the Insurrection Act.
“He certainly has the constitutional authority to utilize that,” Noem said. “My hope is that this leadership team in Minnesota will start to work with us to get criminals off the streets.”
When Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was asked about the possibility, he said, “We’re working through all those issues, but I can tell you, Minnesota is out of control.ย
“You have local and state leaders who seem to be encouraging violence and, and all of this madness, and the President’s frustrated about it and so are we.”
Police Chief Brian OโHara said during a news conference just after 10 p.m. that the gathering was an unlawful assembly and โpeople need to leave.โ
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed O’Hara, calling on protesters to keep the peace.
“I’ve seen conduct from ICE that is disgusting and is intolerable,” Frey said in a press conference Wednesday. “If it were your city, it would be unacceptable there, too. And for anyone that is taking the bait tonight, stop. That is not helpful. … You are not helping the undocumented immigrants in our city. You are not helping the people that call this place home.”
Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, saying the federal “Operation Metro Surge” violates the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In a press conference, Ellison said, “This is in essence a federal invasion of the Twin Cities and Minnesota, and it must stop.”ย
Ellison asked for a judge to impose a temporary restraining order to stop the surge of ICE operations in the state, but the judge ruled Wednesday that more time was needed to review the facts of the case.
The judge set a deadline for Monday, Jan. 19, for the federal government to respond to Ellison’s lawsuit. The state will then have until Jan. 22 to file its response.
On Wednesday, Ellison responded to Trump’s post saying, “Donald Trump is clearly trying to create an excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act, but none exists.ย
“Even after the Trump Administration deployed thousands of armed, masked, and poorly trained federal agents to brutalize Minnesotans, people are responding by protesting peacefully, by organizing their communities, and by looking out for their neighbors.ย
“If Donald Trump does invoke the Insurrection Act, I’m prepared to challenge that action in court.
“For decades, my Republican colleagues have warned against tyrannical federal overreach. Well, it is now at their doorstep. I urge Minnesota Republicans to join me in speaking out against this dire threat of escalation from the federal government.ย
“Before any of us are Democrats or Republicans, we are Minnesotans. If ever there was a time to set partisan politics aside and do what is right for our state, our country, and our democracy, it is now.”
This latest shooting incident heightened the sense of fear and anger radiating across the city, a week after an immigration agent fatally shot a 37-year-old Renee Good in the head.
