The Pentagon has instructed 1,500 active-duty U.S. Army troops to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota as protests continue in response to federal immigration enforcement actions in the state. Multiple media outlets have reported that the order involves soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division, which is based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.
According to two Department of Defense officials who spoke to ABC News, the directive is precautionary rather than a confirmation of imminent deployment. One official said, “We are taking prudent steps to prepare active-duty Army forces. This doesn’t mean they will deploy; we are preparing options.” The White House echoed that framing in a statement to The Washington Post, describing it as typical for the Pentagon “to be prepared for any decision the President may or may not make.”
The development comes amid heightened tensions in Minnesota following protests sparked by two shootings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis. In one incident, a 37-year-old woman, Renee Good, was fatally shot. In a second shooting one week later, another individual, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, was injured. Demonstrations followed both incidents, with protestors criticizing the federal government’s immigration operations and the expanded presence of federal agents in the region.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed concern about the Pentagon’s reported order during an interview with CNN. He said the move “was clearly designed to intimidate the people of Minneapolis.” Frey added, “Here’s the thing — we’re not going to be intimidated. If the goal here is safety, we’ve got many mechanisms to achieve safety. And, the best way to get safety is not to have an influx of even more agents, and in this case, military, in Minneapolis.”
President Donald Trump addressed the situation publicly last week, raising the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that if Minnesota officials did not “obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists,” he would “institute the INSURRECTION ACT.” He later told reporters that he did not see “any reason right now” to use the law, but said, “if I needed it I’d use it,” describing the act as “very powerful.”
At the state level, Minnesota officials have taken steps to manage the protests while pushing back against the federal response. Governor Tim Walz urged demonstrators to remain peaceful and directed the Minnesota National Guard to be on standby to assist local law enforcement in “keeping the peace,” though the Guard has not been deployed. Walz and Frey also responded to reports that the Department of Justice is investigating them and other officials over allegations they sought to obstruct federal immigration agents, calling the investigation an effort to intimidate and weaponize the federal government.
In addition, Minnesota, along with the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. The suit seeks to halt what officials describe as an “unprecedented surge” of nearly 3,000 ICE officers and Border Patrol agents in the area. Attorney General Andrew Ellison said the deployment is “hurting Minnesota,” citing disruptions to schools, businesses, and local policing.
