Pentagon Prepares Troops Amid Protests in Minneapolis

As ongoing protests against federal immigration enforcement persist in Minneapolis, the Pentagon is reportedly gearing up to deploy around 1,500 active-duty soldiers to Minnesota.

Two U.S. defense officials indicated that the Army has placed two infantry battalions from the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division on standby, which is designed for cold-weather operations. There’s an intent to deploy these forces if unrest escalates, though it’s still uncertain if such a move will actually happen.

The White House highlighted that the Pentagon is generally “prepared for every decision the president may or may not make.” This was mentioned in a report by The Washington Post, which characterized the troop readiness as “prudent planning.” Officials have indicated that this is a cautionary measure.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, addressed the situation, confirming the preparations in correspondence with the Associated Press but did not refute that the order was given.

“The Department of the Army stands ready to carry out the orders of the Commander-in-Chief whenever requested,” Parnell stated.

President Trump hinted on Thursday that he might invoke the Insurrection Act if local Minnesota officials do not halt protesters who are targeting ICE agents. On “Society of Truth,” he expressed intentions to confront what he termed “corrupt politicians in Minnesota” if they fail to contain “professional agitators and insurrectionists” attacking ICE personnel.

Interestingly, Trump softened his rhetoric by Friday, stating to reporters that he doesn’t see an immediate need to invoke the law, although he qualified it by saying, “If necessary, we will use it. It’s very powerful.”

Around 3,000 federal employees, including ICE agents, have been arriving in Minneapolis and St. Paul since the beginning of last week. The federal government could also opt to deploy troops without invoking the Insurrection Act, citing the protection of federal properties as a justification.

The Justice Department has initiated an investigation into potential obstruction of immigration enforcement by Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, although both officials have denied any wrongdoing.

Frey described the military readiness as unconstitutional, stating on CNN, “It’s ridiculous, but we’re not going to be intimidated by this federal action.”

The protests have escalated following the shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by ICE agents on January 7th, with another incident occurring on January 14th, when a Venezuelan man was wounded during an arrest attempt by federal agents.

The last occurrence of the Insurrection Act being invoked was during the riots in Los Angeles in 1992.