Trump Threatens to Invoke Insurrection Act Amid Anti-ICE Protests in Minnesota

Donald Trump has warned he may invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used 19th-century law, to quell escalating unrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following violent protests linked to federal immigration enforcement operations. The threat marks a significant escalation in tensions between the White House and Democratic leaders in the state over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

The warning came after a night of protests, vandalism, and clashes with law enforcement in Minneapolis, triggered by a federal agent shooting a man in the leg during an encounter on Wednesday. The incident occurred amid already heightened tensions following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent earlier this month—an event that sparked nationwide demonstrations.

What Is the Insurrection Act?

The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows the US president to deploy active-duty military troops for domestic law enforcement when state authorities are deemed unable or unwilling to control unrest. While Trump has previously threatened to invoke the law during periods of civil disorder, including during his first term, he has never formally done so.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that if Minnesota officials fail to stop what he described as “professional agitators and insurrectionists,” he would consider invoking the law to restore order.

Trump Insurrection Act Threat

DHS Details Shooting Incident

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Wednesday’s shooting followed a car chase involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national previously convicted of driving without a license. DHS said Sosa-Celis exited his vehicle and fought with a federal agent.

Two additional Venezuelan nationals—Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma—allegedly joined the altercation, attacking the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle. The agent then fired a defensive shot, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. Both the officer and Sosa-Celis were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and all three men were arrested.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described the incident as an “attempted murder of federal law enforcement,” stating the officer had been “ambushed.”

Protests, Damage, and Federal Response

Later that night, protests intensified in Minneapolis’ Hawthorne neighborhood, near the scene of the shooting. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers were struck by fireworks, ice, and snowballs. The FBI reported damage to federal vehicles and theft of government property, offering up to $100,000 in rewards for information leading to arrests.

Around 3,000 federal officers have reportedly been deployed to Minnesota in recent weeks under Operation Metro Surge, which Trump has vowed to continue after a federal judge denied a request to block ICE operations.

Political Leaders Urge Calm

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a vocal critic of ICE’s presence in the city, said the situation was “not sustainable.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appealed directly to Trump, urging restraint and warning against “fanning the flames of chaos.”

The FBI continues to investigate the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. Meanwhile, online fundraisers for both Good’s family and the ICE agent involved have raised millions—underscoring how deeply polarizing the crisis has become.