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Donald Trump threatens to send US military to 'put an end' to anti-ICE protests'
President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Minnesota state lawmakers, threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act if protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continue.
The protests erupted in response to the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old mother, Renee Good, by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
Trump, using his social media platform Truth Social, called the protesters "professional agitators and insurrectionists" and demanded that state authorities take action to stop the unrest.
In his post, Trump emphasized that he would deploy the military if necessary, saying, "If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT... and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State."
Protests intensify after another shooting incident
The protests, initially sparked by the shooting of Renee Good, escalated following another shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The second incident involved a migrant who was reportedly shot in the leg after allegedly attacking an officer during an arrest attempt.
The demonstrations, which have been ongoing for over a week, have been fueled by accusations of excessive force and racial profiling. The Trump administration has sent large numbers of ICE and Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis, further escalating tensions.
Critics argue that the federal presence is a form of occupation, with local officials accusing the president of deliberately stoking unrest to justify a violent crackdown.
The Insurrection Act: A rarely invoked law
The Insurrection Act, a law dating back to 1807, gives the president the authority to deploy military forces or federalize National Guard troops to suppress civil unrest. Although Trump claimed that many past presidents had invoked the act, it has been used sparingly.
The last time it was implemented was in 1992 when President George H.W. Bush sent the U.S. Army to Los Angeles to control riots following the acquittal of police officers involved in the Rodney King beating.
Previous presidents, such as Lyndon Johnson in 1967, have used the law in response to widespread rioting, but its use has generally been a measure of last resort.
Trump's repeated threats to invoke the Insurrection Act reflect his tendency to push for military intervention in Democratic-led cities experiencing unrest, a strategy that has drawn both support and criticism.