The Pentagon has placed about 1,500 active duty US Army soldiers on standby for a possible deployment to Minnesota as protests linked to the federal deportation drive continue to intensify, according to US media reports on Sunday.
Defense officials told the Washington Post that the units were issued prepare to deploy orders in case unrest in the state escalates. It remains unclear whether the troops will ultimately be sent.
The White House said the move reflects routine planning rather than a final decision. In a statement to the Post, it said the Pentagon is typically prepared “for any decision the President may or may not make.” The Pentagon and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
The alert comes after President Donald Trump warned he could invoke the Insurrection Act if state officials fail to halt protests targeting federal immigration officers.
Trump issued the warning on Thursday following a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Minnesota.
“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,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
According to the Washington Post and ABC News, the troops placed on alert specialize in cold weather operations and belong to two infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, based in Alaska.
Tensions have risen sharply in Minneapolis after a fatal encounter involving federal officers earlier this month. On January 7, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, a US citizen and mother of three, after she drove away from officers who ordered her to exit her vehicle, authorities said.
Since early last week, the Trump administration has deployed nearly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis and nearby St Paul. The White House described the move as part of a broader effort to protect federal personnel and property.
Read Also: Minneapolis Protests Ignite After ICE Shooting
Trump has previously defended troop deployments in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, Memphis and Portland, saying they are necessary to combat crime and unrest. However, he said earlier this month that National Guard units were being withdrawn from Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland after legal challenges and setbacks.
Local and state leaders in Minnesota have accused the president of federal overreach, arguing that isolated incidents are being exaggerated to justify military involvement.
