US President Donald Trump appeared on Truth Social to advocate for increased federal immigration enforcement following a deadly ICE operation in Minneapolis, sharply criticizing Minnesota leaders and local resistance while reiterating his tough stance on immigration.
In a lengthy post, Trump wrote that “ICE is removing some of the world’s most violent criminals from our country and bringing them back home where they belong.” He questioned why Minnesota officials are resisting the effort and called on them to stop what he characterized as protections for violent offenders.
“Why is Minnesota fighting this? Do they really want murderers and drug dealers in their community?” Trump has written and framed the crime and public safety debate.
Trump also cast a negative light on protesters against the ICE raids, calling them “highly paid professional agitators and anarchists” and accusing state politicians of using the unrest to divert attention from alleged political scandals.
“The Crooked Governor and “Congresswoman” Omar who married her brother doesn’t mind because it’s a distraction from the $18 billion, plus, FRAUD that took place in the state! Don’t worry, we’re on it!” Trump posted.
Truth Social’s report came amid escalating tensions in Minneapolis, where the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good during a federal immigration sting has sparked protests and a national debate over ICE’s tactics and use of force.
The incident drew widespread criticism, with Reuters and other sources saying federal agents had been deployed in greater numbers as the Trump administration pursues a sweeping law enforcement initiative in major cities, including Minneapolis and New York.
Public opinion in the US also showed deep divisions over the incident. A recent national poll found that a majority of Americans say the shooting of an ICE agent was unwarranted and inappropriate, with many expressing concern about the public safety impact of law enforcement.
The riots also prompted federal warnings. Trump has threatened to use the Insurrection Act to deploy US military forces if local authorities do not quell protests against ICE and federal agents — a move that underscores the administration’s tough rhetoric as demonstrations continue.
Protests in Minneapolis have persisted and sparked widespread community engagement, with some city officials and residents demanding ICE leave the region and calling for accountability. A federal agent shot and killed another individual in the city during a subsequent law enforcement operation, further heightening tensions.
The Pentagon is preparing 1,500 soldiers
The Pentagon has ordered roughly 1,500 active-duty troops to prepare for a potential deployment to Minnesota amid escalating protests against federal immigration enforcement, according to a report.
Troops have been ordered to prepare to deploy in case violence escalates in the state, The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed defense officials. It is not yet clear whether any of the soldiers will actually be sent.
A White House spokesman told the newspaper that it is standard practice for the Pentagon to “be prepared for any decision the president may or may not make.”
Trump threatens to use sedition law
On Thursday, Trump threatened to use the Sedition Act, a federal law that allows the president to deploy the military on domestic soil if state officials do not stop protesters from targeting immigration agents.
The threat comes after confrontations between residents and federal officers intensified in Minneapolis, Minnesota’s most populous city, following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, on Jan. 7. Good was shot by an ICE agent as she drove away after being ordered to exit her vehicle.
Since early last week, Trump has dispatched nearly 3,000 federal agents from ICE and the Border Patrol to Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul in a wave of urban interventions led by Democratic leaders. After the legal setback, the administration suspended the deployment of units in Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland.
Controversy over federal overreach
Local leaders have criticized Trump for federal overreach, accusing him of exaggerating isolated incidents of violence to justify the deployment of military forces.
Trump has repeatedly cited a scandal involving the theft of federal welfare funds in Minnesota as part of his rationale for sending immigration agents to the state. The administration has also repeatedly singled out Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.
The Insurrection Act gives the president the authority to deploy military or federalized National Guard units within the United States to quell domestic insurgencies, a power that has historically been exercised only in extreme circumstances.
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