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Federal-State Standoff Over Minneapolis ICE Operation

Federal-State Standoff Over Minneapolis ICE Operation

Trump threatens Insurrection Act as protests escalate following two ICE shootings

Today: Trump Threatens Insurrection Act

Overview

The Insurrection Act has not been invoked since the 1992 Los Angeles riots—and never against a state governor's wishes to suppress protests of federal actions. President Trump threatened to break that 33-year streak on January 16, warning he would deploy military forces to Minneapolis if Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey don't stop what he called 'professional agitators and insurrectionists' protesting against roughly 3,000 federal immigration agents in the city.

The standoff follows two ICE-involved shootings in nine days: the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three who was observing ICE operations, and a January 14 shooting that wounded a Venezuelan man during a traffic stop. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Walz and Frey of 'terrorism,' while Minnesota officials have filed multiple lawsuits alleging federal agents are conducting unconstitutional stops and targeting the state for its voting patterns. This marks the most direct confrontation between a presidential administration and a state government over immigration enforcement in modern American history.

Key Indicators

3,000
Federal agents deployed
ICE, CBP, and other DHS personnel in the Minneapolis area—more than five times the city's 600 police officers
2,500
Arrests since operation began
Immigration arrests under Operation Metro Surge since November 29, 2025
2
ICE-involved shootings
One fatality (Renee Good, U.S. citizen) and one injury in nine days
33
Years since last Insurrection Act use
Last invoked during 1992 LA riots at California governor's request

People Involved

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States (Threatening Insurrection Act deployment)
Tim Walz
Tim Walz
Governor of Minnesota (Opposing federal operation, urging peaceful resistance)
Jacob Frey
Jacob Frey
Mayor of Minneapolis (Demanding ICE withdrawal from city)
Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem
Secretary of Homeland Security (Directing Operation Metro Surge)
Todd Blanche
Todd Blanche
Deputy Attorney General (Accusing state officials of terrorism)
Renee Nicole Macklin Good
Renee Nicole Macklin Good
Victim of ICE shooting (Deceased)
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
ICE Agent who shot Renee Good (Under FBI investigation)
Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison
Minnesota Attorney General (Leading legal challenge against DHS)

Organizations Involved

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Federal Law Enforcement Agency
Status: Conducting Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis

DHS enforcement arm conducting what officials call 'the largest immigration operation ever' in Minneapolis.

AC
ACLU of Minnesota
Civil Liberties Organization
Status: Plaintiff in class-action lawsuit

Filed class-action lawsuit alleging ICE agents conducted unconstitutional stops and racial profiling.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal Cabinet Department
Status: Overseeing Minneapolis immigration operation

Parent agency directing Operation Metro Surge with 3,000 agents from ICE, CBP, and other components.

Timeline

  1. Trump Threatens Insurrection Act

    Political

    President Trump warns he will invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to deploy military forces to Minnesota if state officials don't stop 'insurrectionists' from 'attacking the Patriots of I.C.E.'

  2. Deputy AG Blanche Accuses State Officials of 'Terrorism'

    Political

    Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche posts that Walz and Frey are committing 'terrorism' and an 'insurrection,' vowing to stop them 'by whatever means necessary.'

  3. ACLU Files Class-Action Lawsuit

    Legal

    ACLU of Minnesota files Hussen v. Noem alleging federal agents conducted unconstitutional stops and racial profiling of U.S. citizens.

  4. Second ICE Shooting in Minneapolis

    Shooting

    Federal agent shoots Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg during traffic stop. DHS says man and two others attacked officer with snow shovel and broom. Protests intensify overnight.

  5. Walz Delivers Primetime Address

    Political

    Governor Walz calls operation 'organized brutality,' urges Minnesotans to film ICE agents 'for future prosecutions,' and appeals to Trump to 'turn down the temperature.'

  6. Minnesota Files Lawsuit Against DHS

    Legal

    Attorney General Ellison, Minneapolis, and St. Paul file federal lawsuit alleging Operation Metro Surge violates Constitution and targets Minnesota for its voting patterns.

  7. Noem Announces Additional Agent Deployment

    Enforcement

    DHS Secretary announces 'hundreds more' federal agents will deploy to Minneapolis.

  8. DHS Releases Shooting Video

    Investigation

    DHS posts footage from before the Good shooting. Five use-of-force experts tell Star Tribune the shooting appeared unjustified.

  9. Walz Declares 'Renee Good Day'

    Political

    Governor Walz proclaims statewide day of unity and calls for moment of silence to honor Good.

  10. Protests Spread Nationwide

    Protests

    Demonstrations emerge in New York, Chicago, Portland, and other cities. Federal agents use chemical irritants outside Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis; schools cancel classes.

  11. ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Renee Nicole Good

    Shooting

    Agent Jonathan Ross shoots 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good during an operation in south Minneapolis. DHS claims she was 'weaponizing her vehicle'; local officials dispute this.

  12. DHS Announces 'Largest Immigration Operation Ever'

    Announcement

    DHS announces deployment of 2,000 agents to Twin Cities. Secretary Noem personally participates in an arrest operation.

  13. Operation Metro Surge Begins

    Enforcement

    DHS launches large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, initially deploying hundreds of federal agents.

Scenarios

1

Trump Invokes Insurrection Act, Deploys Military to Minneapolis

Discussed by: Constitutional law scholars at Brennan Center, Brookings Institution, and Protect Democracy

If protests escalate or violence increases, Trump could invoke the Insurrection Act over Walz's objections—the first such use against a governor's wishes to suppress protests of federal actions since 1965. Military deployment would trigger immediate constitutional challenges. The administration has confirmed discussions of this option. Legal experts note the act gives presidents broad discretion with minimal judicial review, though its use here would test whether courts would constrain deployment against protests of the government's own conduct.

2

Courts Block or Limit Operation Metro Surge

Discussed by: ACLU attorneys, Minnesota Attorney General's office, constitutional scholars

The two pending lawsuits—Minnesota's challenge on constitutional grounds and the ACLU's class action on Fourth Amendment violations—could result in injunctions limiting or halting operations. A federal judge has already declined to block the operation in an initial hearing. However, if plaintiffs demonstrate systematic constitutional violations through documented cases of citizens detained without cause, courts could impose operational constraints or require judicial warrants for stops.

3

Standoff Continues Without Military Deployment

Discussed by: DHS officials, Minnesota political analysts, immigration policy experts

The most likely near-term trajectory: DHS maintains or expands agent presence while lawsuits proceed through courts. Protests continue with periodic arrests but avoid large-scale violence. Both sides use the confrontation for political positioning—Trump framing it as law enforcement against 'sanctuary' policies, Democrats framing it as federal overreach. This mirrors the pattern after previous ICE controversies where initial tensions normalized without resolution.

4

Federal Agent or Protester Fatality Triggers Major Escalation

Discussed by: Law enforcement analysts, civil liberties organizations

With 3,000 federal agents and daily protests, risk of further violence remains elevated. The FBI has offered $100,000 for information on protesters who damaged FBI vehicles. If an agent is killed or a protester dies in confrontation with federal forces, pressure for military intervention or, conversely, for federal withdrawal would intensify dramatically. The 2020 George Floyd protests showed how quickly Minneapolis situations can cascade.

Historical Context

Little Rock Central High School (1957)

September 1957

What Happened

Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus deployed National Guard troops to prevent nine Black students from integrating Central High School, defying the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education ruling. After a white mob threatened the students, President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and sent 1,200 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division to escort the students into school.

Outcome

Short Term

The 'Little Rock Nine' attended school under military protection for the year, though they faced continued harassment. One student, Ernest Green, became the first Black graduate of Central High in May 1958.

Long Term

Established that federal authority supersedes state resistance to constitutional rights, though Eisenhower had acted to enforce a court order, not suppress protests of federal actions.

Why It's Relevant Today

The last time a president deployed federal troops against a governor's wishes was to expand civil rights protections. Trump would be doing the opposite: using military force to suppress protests against federal enforcement actions, inverting the historical precedent.

Los Angeles Riots (1992)

April-May 1992

What Happened

After a jury acquitted four white police officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King, riots erupted across Los Angeles. Over six days, 63 people died and property damage exceeded $1 billion. Governor Pete Wilson requested federal assistance, and President George H.W. Bush invoked the Insurrection Act to deploy 4,000 Army soldiers and Marines.

Outcome

Short Term

Military presence helped restore order within days. Over 12,000 people were arrested. The federal officers involved in King's beating were later convicted on civil rights charges.

Long Term

This was the last invocation of the Insurrection Act—33 years ago. It was requested by the governor, consistent with every modern use of the act.

Why It's Relevant Today

The administration cites the LA riots precedent, but that deployment came at the governor's request. Using the Insurrection Act against a governor's wishes to suppress protests of federal actions would be unprecedented in modern history.

Elián González Raid (2000)

April 2000

What Happened

Federal agents conducted a pre-dawn raid on a Miami home to seize 6-year-old Elián González, a Cuban refugee at the center of an international custody dispute. 151 armed agents executed the operation in under three minutes, using pepper spray on protesters. Over 300 people were arrested in subsequent demonstrations.

Outcome

Short Term

Elián was returned to his father and eventually to Cuba. Miami's Cuban-American community erupted in protests lasting days.

Long Term

The political fallout may have cost Al Gore Florida—and the presidency—in the 2000 election, which he lost by 537 votes.

Why It's Relevant Today

Shows how federal enforcement operations that inflame local communities can have lasting political consequences. The Minneapolis standoff involves a far larger deployment and sustained confrontation rather than a single raid.

12 Sources:
+6
NBC News Al Jazeera ABC News ACLU Wikipedia Twin Cities Pioneer Press Minnesota Attorney General's Office Brennan Center for Justice CBS News History.com Washington Post Wikipedia