By Tony Capaccio, Margi Murphy and Jeff Stone, Bloomberg News
Amid intensifying protests in Minneapolis over immigration enforcement, the U.S. government is considering a substantial increase in law enforcement personnel, with potential military involvement. This comes as local tensions rise following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration officer.
In response to the situation, the Pentagon has readied 1,500 troops from Alaska’s 11th Airborne Division, known as “The Arctic Angels,” for possible deployment to Minnesota. This is a precautionary measure should federal authorities decide to deploy military forces, according to an anonymous U.S. official.
Simultaneously, the FBI is reaching out to its agents across the nation, seeking volunteers to temporarily assist in Minneapolis. The specific roles these agents would undertake remain unspecified, as the FBI traditionally handles national security tasks rather than street patrols.
As a proactive measure, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard to provide support to local enforcement and emergency services. The city has been a hub for protests against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since the officer-involved shooting.
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, “They are not deployed to city streets at this time, but are ready to help support public safety, including protection of life, preservation of property and supporting the rights of all who assemble peacefully,” as shared on X.
Both Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have criticized the federal immigration operations, accusing the Trump administration of inciting chaos and violence. They have called for the withdrawal of federal personnel from the city.
The Pentagon’s preparation for troop deployment was initially reported by The Washington Post.
FBI Involvement
FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recently visited Minneapolis, as mentioned in a post on Patel’s X account. Patel noted that the FBI was addressing violent rioters and investigating the funding behind criminal activities, with several arrests already made.
Approximately a quarter of the FBI’s agents are engaged in immigration-related duties, based on data shared by Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, in October.
President Donald Trump previously suggested invoking the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces domestically, but later retracted the statement. This act enables the president to command a state’s National Guard or deploy active-duty troops to manage a rebellion. The last invocation was in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict.
ICE Director Todd Lyons stated on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” “We have to send more officers and agents just to protect our officers to carry out their mission… Now we need 10-15 officers per arrest to protect each other” from protesters.
Social media posts have captured ICE agents using significant force against protesters, including arrests, chemical sprays, and physical confrontations.
Deputy Attorney General Blanche refuted claims of misconduct, stating on Fox News Sunday, “These blatant accusations that they’re violating the First Amendment or somehow committing crimes are not only completely false, but they’re doing real damage to our law enforcement officers around the country.”
U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez has issued an order prohibiting ICE agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters, banning the use of pepper spray or similar methods, and preventing federal agents from stopping non-interfering protesters in vehicles.
Mayor Frey argued that the increased law enforcement presence is unnecessary, highlighting that crime rates are declining and attributing unrest to the influx of ICE and potentially military personnel.
_____
(With assistance from María Paula Mijares Torres.)
_____
©2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
