MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The mayor of Minneapolis said Sunday that sending active-duty soldiers into Minnesota to help with an immigration crackdown is a ridiculous and unconstitutional idea as he urged protesters to remain peaceful so the president won’t see a need to send in the U.S. military.
Daily protests have been ongoing throughout January since the Department of Homeland Security ramped up immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by bringing in more than 2,000 federal officers.
In a diverse neighborhood where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been frequently seen, U.S. postal workers marched through on Sunday, chanting: “Protect our routes. Get ICE out.”
The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers based in Alaska, specializing in arctic conditions, to be ready for a possible deployment to Minnesota, according to defense officials. They revealed that two infantry battalions of the Army’s 11th Airborne Division received prepare-to-deploy orders.
One defense official indicated that the troops stand ready should President Trump invoke the Insurrection Act, which permits military intervention within states.
“It’s ridiculous, but we will not be intimidated by the actions of this federal government,” Mayor Jacob Frey told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “It is not fair, it’s not just, and it’s completely unconstitutional.”
Thousands of Minneapolis citizens are exercising their First Amendment rights, and Frey noted that the protests have remained peaceful.
Gov. Tim Walz has mobilized the Minnesota National Guard, though no units are yet on the streets. Reports have emerged of ICE officers engaging aggressively with community members, highlighting the need for protective action. Community leaders continue to express the importance of peaceful protest and communication over conflict.
Daily protests have been ongoing throughout January since the Department of Homeland Security ramped up immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by bringing in more than 2,000 federal officers.
In a diverse neighborhood where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been frequently seen, U.S. postal workers marched through on Sunday, chanting: “Protect our routes. Get ICE out.”
The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers based in Alaska, specializing in arctic conditions, to be ready for a possible deployment to Minnesota, according to defense officials. They revealed that two infantry battalions of the Army’s 11th Airborne Division received prepare-to-deploy orders.
One defense official indicated that the troops stand ready should President Trump invoke the Insurrection Act, which permits military intervention within states.
“It’s ridiculous, but we will not be intimidated by the actions of this federal government,” Mayor Jacob Frey told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday. “It is not fair, it’s not just, and it’s completely unconstitutional.”
Thousands of Minneapolis citizens are exercising their First Amendment rights, and Frey noted that the protests have remained peaceful.
Gov. Tim Walz has mobilized the Minnesota National Guard, though no units are yet on the streets. Reports have emerged of ICE officers engaging aggressively with community members, highlighting the need for protective action. Community leaders continue to express the importance of peaceful protest and communication over conflict.
