United States President Donald Trump has warned that he may invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota following sustained protests linked to recent shootings involving federal immigration agents in the state.
Trump issued the warning on Thursday via social media, accusing Minnesota officials of failing to maintain law and order and alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were being targeted by what he described as “professional agitators.”
He said federal intervention would follow if state authorities did not restore calm.
According to the president, the situation in Minnesota had become “untenable,” adding that the federal government would act decisively if necessary to protect law enforcement officers and enforce existing laws.
The protests escalated after an ICE agent shot and wounded a man in Minneapolis on Wednesday, marking the second shooting involving a federal immigration officer in the city within a week.
The earlier incident resulted in the death of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good and sparked days of demonstrations, as well as an increased federal security presence.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the latest shooting occurred during a confrontation outside a residence, where an ICE agent became involved in a physical struggle with a man.
During the altercation, the officer discharged his firearm, injuring the individual in the leg.
Authorities said two other people emerged from a nearby building and assaulted the agent with a snow shovel and a broom handle.
The injured man, identified as a Venezuelan national, was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening, while the two others were arrested.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the federal agents were carrying out official duties at the time of the incident and acted in response to an attack.
The Insurrection Act is a federal law that allows a U.S. president to deploy military forces for domestic law enforcement during periods of severe civil unrest.
It was last invoked in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush during the Los Angeles riots that followed the acquittal of police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King.
State and city officials have continued to appeal for calm as tensions remain high, while protests over immigration enforcement and the federal presence in Minnesota persist.