The Pentagon has issued prepare-to-deploy orders for approximately 1,500 active-duty US soldiers. These soldiers might be sent to Minnesota, according to a Sunday report from the Washington Post. Minnesota is currently experiencing widespread protests against the Trump administration's deportation efforts.
Military Readiness Amid Escalating Tensions
The army placed these units on alert in case violence in the state increases further. Defense officials, who spoke anonymously to the Post, emphasized that it remains unclear whether any soldiers will actually be deployed. Both the Pentagon and the White House did not provide immediate comments when Reuters requested statements.
In a related development, sources informed Bloomberg that the FBI is asking agents across the United States to travel to Minneapolis for temporary duty assignments. This move comes as Minneapolis has become a central hub for anti-ICE protests. These protests intensified after an officer shot and killed a woman named Renee Good on January 7 while she was inside her car.
President Trump's Threat to Use the Insurrection Act
President Donald Trump issued a stark warning on Thursday. He threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces if state officials fail to stop protesters from targeting immigration personnel. This threat followed a recent surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the area.
"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., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
Details of the Potential Deployment
The soldiers who might be deployed belong to two US Army infantry battalions. These battalions operate under the 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska, as reported by the Washington Post.
Understanding the Insurrection Act
The Insurrection Act is a significant federal law. It grants the president authority to deploy the military or federalize National Guard troops within the United States. This power is specifically intended to suppress domestic uprisings.
The law can be activated under specific conditions. It applies when there are "unlawful obstructions, combinations or assemblages or rebellion" against federal authority. If the president determines that these conditions exist, he may utilize the armed forces. Their mission would be to enforce laws or quell the rebellion effectively.
