Trump threatens to invoke Insurrection Act amid immigration protests in Minnesota

US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces in Minnesota, as protests intensified following a surge in immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

The warning came after days of clashes between residents and federal immigration agents, sparked by the fatal shooting of a US citizen, Renee Good, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent eight days ago. Protests later spread to other cities, with tensions escalating further after an immigration officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis on Thursday.

In a social media post, Trump said he would use the Insurrection Act if Minnesota’s leadership failed to control what he described as “professional agitators and insurrectionists” targeting ICE officers. He accused state politicians of not obeying the law and vowed to act if the situation worsened.

Nearly 3,000 federal officers have already been deployed to the Minneapolis area, patrolling streets in military-style gear. Their presence has triggered loud and often angry demonstrations, with residents gathering day and night, blowing whistles, banging instruments and confronting officers.

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On Wednesday night, protests flared near the site where the Venezuelan man was shot. Federal officers responded by using flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds. Later, a small group vandalised a vehicle believed to belong to federal agents, with graffiti targeting the US homeland security secretary.

The Department of Homeland Security identified the wounded man as Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national admitted to the US in 2022 under a humanitarian parole programme later revoked by the Trump administration. DHS claimed he was a convicted criminal, though court records show he had only minor misdemeanour convictions under Minnesota law.

According to DHS, Sosa-Celis fled from officers, crashed his vehicle, and was later involved in a physical struggle, during which an officer fired in self-defence. The account could not be independently verified. Both the officer and Sosa-Celis were hospitalised, while two other Venezuelan men were also arrested.

Minnesota officials and the Trump administration have blamed each other for escalating the crisis. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticised the federal operation, calling it an “invasion” and describing ICE conduct as “disgusting and intolerable”.

The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows a US president to deploy the military domestically to quell unrest. Trump has already federalised National Guard troops for immigration enforcement in other Democratic-led states, moves that have faced legal challenges.

Minnesota’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit accusing ICE of unlawful and violent conduct, including racial profiling and warrantless searches. A federal judge has asked the Trump administration to respond by Monday before ruling on a request to halt the operation.

Meanwhile, a Reuters/Ipsos survey showed Republican voters divided over the crackdown, with a majority supporting aggressive immigration arrests even if people are harmed, while a significant minority favoured restraint to avoid injuries.