US President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces in the state of Minnesota, after days of violent protests in Minneapolis against the massive presence of immigration agents on the streets.
Tensions have escalated sharply following the killing of an American citizen, Renee Good, who was shot dead eight days ago by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a drive-by incident in Minneapolis. Protests have spread to other cities, as clashes between residents and federal forces have become increasingly violent.
Trump's threat came just hours after another immigration agent shot a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis. Authorities say he was driving away when he was stopped by agents. The man was shot in the leg.
"If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota do not enforce the law and stop the professional agitators and rioters who are attacking ICE patriots who are only doing their job, I will invoke the INTIMIDATION ACT," Trump wrote on social media.
For weeks, Trump has been sharply attacking the state's Democratic leaders and using offensive language towards immigrant communities, particularly those of Somali origin.
His administration has already deployed about 3,000 federal officers to the Minneapolis area. They have been seen patrolling the city streets with guns, wearing military-style camouflage uniforms and face masks. Residents have been protesting day and night against them, with whistles, noise and massive gatherings.
On Wednesday evening, near the site of the shooting of the Venezuelan national, protesters clashed again with federal forces, who used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Later, a small group vandalized a vehicle believed to belong to federal officers, writing threatening slogans in red paint.
Since the operation began, agents have arrested not only immigrants but also protesters, and there have been reports of arbitrary detentions, broken car windows, and forcible removal of people from vehicles. According to reports, agents have also stopped and demanded documents from black and Latino American citizens.
The Department of Homeland Security identified the injured man as Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who entered the U.S. in 2022 through the Biden administration's humanitarian permit program. The Trump administration has revoked the program for Venezuelans and others who had been allowed to enter the country in recent years.
The situation in Minneapolis remains tense, while the threat of using the military on American territory has opened a strong political and constitutional debate in the US.
