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The Pentagon has placed roughly 1,500 active-duty U.S. Army soldiers on prepare-to-deploy status amid escalating protests in Minnesota linked to the federal government’s immigration enforcement campaign, according to U.S. media reports. The move comes as demonstrations intensify following a surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the state, particularly in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
According to the Washington Post, which cited unnamed defense officials, the soldiers have been ordered to prepare in case unrest worsens, though no final decision has been made on whether they will be deployed. The White House told the newspaper that it is routine for the Department of Defense to remain ready for any potential presidential decision. Both the Pentagon and the White House declined to comment directly to Reuters.
President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law that allows the president to deploy active-duty military forces or federalize the National Guard to suppress domestic unrest. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned Minnesota officials that failure to stop protesters from confronting immigration officers could prompt military intervention.
The protests intensified after a deadly incident on January 7, when an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, during a traffic stop in Minneapolis. Since then, tensions between residents and federal agents have increased, with community leaders accusing the administration of inflaming the situation.
Reports indicate that the soldiers under consideration belong to two infantry battalions specializing in cold-weather operations under the 11th Airborne Division, based in Alaska. Meanwhile, the administration has already deployed nearly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to the Minneapolis–St. Paul area as part of a broader crackdown targeting cities led by Democratic officials.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard to assist local law enforcement and emergency management, while also criticizing what he describes as federal overreach. The situation highlights an ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and the potential use of military forces on U.S. soil under the Insurrection Act.
