Trump Considers Insurrection Act Amidst Unrest Over ICE Shooting in Minneapolis

Fri Jan 16 2026 10:34:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Trump threatens to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to protests following a controversial ICE shooting in Minnesota, raising tensions in an already volatile situation.

Following protests in Minneapolis triggered by the shooting of a man during an immigration operation, President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act if local officials cannot control the unrest. The situation escalated after an ICE agent opened fire on a suspect who allegedly attacked him. Protests erupted after the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, raising concerns over immigration enforcement. Local officials and Trump are at odds over the response to the growing tensions.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the rarely used Insurrection Act to quell unrest over federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

He threatened to send in troops following a night of protests and vandalism in the Minnesota city after an agent shot a man in the leg.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated an officer opened fire after being attacked by three Venezuelan nationals with a shovel and broom handle.

Tensions have been high in Minneapolis since the immigration agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, 37, last week, sparking nationwide protests.

The Insurrection Act allows for active-duty military personnel to be deployed for law enforcement duties within the US. Trump has previously indicated he might use this law in other circumstances but has yet to do so.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he would use the law if Minnesota officials failed to stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists.

The DHS reported that the shooting occurred after a car chase involving a Venezuelan national, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was previously convicted for driving without a license. After the pursuit, Sosa-Celis exited his vehicle and engaged in a physical altercation with the federal agent.

All three men attacked the officer, prompting the agent to fire defensively, injuring Sosa-Celis.

Protests erupted Wednesday night in the Hawthorne area of Minneapolis, where demonstrators clashed with law enforcement, throwing objects such as fireworks and snowballs. The unrest led to damage to federal vehicles and theft of property.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has demanded ICE cease operations in the city, emphasizing the unsustainability of the ongoing tensions. Meanwhile, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged the president to help de-escalate the situation, referring to ICE's actions as chaotic.

Trump's Operation Metro Surge is set to continue in Minnesota following a federal judge's refusal to grant a temporary restraining order against ICE. The situation remains volatile as local and federal authorities seek to address the unrest generated by these incidents.