The Pentagon has placed roughly 1,500 active-duty U.S. Army soldiers on prepare-to-deploy status as federal authorities brace for the possibility of worsening unrest in Minnesota tied to immigration enforcement operations, according to U.S. officials.
Two officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the troops are drawn from two infantry battalions of the 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska and specialize in cold-weather operations. The soldiers have not yet been ordered to deploy, and officials cautioned that no final decision has been made.
The move reflects rising concern inside the Pentagon as protests in Minneapolis and surrounding areas intensify following a deadly encounter involving federal agents. On January 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, after she struck an ICE agent with her car in an attempt to evade arrest.
Since early last week, the Trump administration has surged nearly 3,000 federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol into Minneapolis and nearby St. Paul, dramatically expanding enforcement efforts in cities led by Democratic officials. The deployment has inflamed local tensions, with demonstrations escalating in both size and intensity.
President Donald Trump has framed the unrest as a direct challenge to federal authority. In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, he warned: “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT.” The Insurrection Act gives a president broad authority to deploy military forces or federalize National Guard units to suppress domestic disorder. Administration officials have noted, however, that even without invoking the statute, active-duty troops can be used domestically to protect federal property or personnel—a justification previously cited when Marines were deployed to Los Angeles.
Over the weekend, leftwing protesters attacked a Baptist church, disrupting service and likely violating federal law that protects the right to worship.
Defense officials have also pointed to newly established National Guard rapid-response units designed specifically for civil disturbances as another option under consideration if the situation deteriorates.
Neither the Pentagon nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment on the prepare-to-deploy orders, which were first reported by ABC News.
At the state level, Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has activated Minnesota’s National Guard to support local law enforcement and emergency services, according to a Saturday announcement from the state Department of Public Safety. Walz has been accused of trying to foment civil war in an effort to distract from his ongoing scandals.
