Mayor says Minneapolis is ‘under siege’ by 3,000 of Trump’s ICE | US | News
Federal agents detained a protester near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey claimed his city was “occupied” by ICE officers following the death of Renee Nicole Good, as discussions continue within the Department of Homeland Security about deploying 1,500 troops to the Twin Cities.
Frey, a Democrat, described Minneapolis as “under siege” after an “invasion” by ICE agents during a conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government,” Frey said. “There are about 3,000 ICE agents and Border Patrol. They’re discussing deploying 1,500 troops right now — that’s ridiculous.
“But we will not be deterred by the actions of this federal government.”
Frey’s remarks came on the heels of a Washington Post article revealing that the Pentagon was preparing to send 1,500 active-duty troops if violence escalated in Minnesota; Unnamed officials referred to the move as “cautious planning.”
It remains unclear whether any of these soldiers will ultimately be sent to the state. The Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on these reports. But the White House issued a statement saying it was standard procedure for the Pentagon to “be prepared for any decision the President may or may not make.”
Earlier this week, Trump also warned protesters that he could invoke the Insurrection Act to “put a swift end to the disgrace that has occurred in this once-great state.”
Read more: Trump ‘ready to invoke the Insurrection Act and send troops to Minnesota’
Read more: ICE agent identified with ‘absolute immunity’ after deadly attack in Minneapolis
“He walked back those threats on Friday, telling reporters, ‘I don’t think I need this right now.'”
By invoking the Insurrection Act, the president gains the authority to deploy military force on American soil to suppress an insurrection, which allows troops to make arrests and searches domestically; these are two actions generally prohibited for the military.
This action is extremely rare and reserved only for extreme scenarios such as widespread civil unrest or armed insurrection. Unrest in Minnesota erupted after 37-year-old mother and poet Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot on January 7.
Video footage of the incident shows Good trying to get away from ICE officers who approached his SUV, but as he pulled away, another agent, Jonathan Ross, approached his window and fired at least three shots at him.
The harrowing shooting, combined with the Trump administration’s support for Ross, sparked national and international outrage; Thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate against the federal agency and its “reckless” behavior.
The President gains the authority to deploy military forces on American soil by invoking the Insurrection Act (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey claimed his city was “occupied” by ICE officers (Image: Getty Images)
“I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government,” Frey said.
“We currently have residents asking about a very limited number of police officers should we be fighting ICE agents on the street.
“We can’t be in America right now where we have two government entities that are literally at war with each other.”
The mayor’s handling of the shooting has made him the latest focus of the Justice Department; officials confirmed to The Associated Press that both Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are under investigation for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement through public speeches.
The investigation, which both Walz and Frey have condemned as intimidation, focuses on possible violations of conspiracy law, sources said.
