Trump warns Minnesota of 'Insurrection Act' amid ICE protest unrest

Donald Trump's Truth Social post on Thursday, January 15, signaled possible military deployment if unrest over ICE protests continued
Donald Trump danced as he departed after delivering remarks to members of the Detroit Economic Club at the MotorCity Casino Hotel on January 13, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Image)
Donald Trump danced as he departed after delivering remarks to members of the Detroit Economic Club at the MotorCity Casino Hotel on January 13, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Image)


WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to comment on the ongoing anti-ICE protests across Minnesota on Thursday, January 15.

While the protests began after the death of Renee Nicole Good, the action on the street became more aggressive as federal agents clashed with the protesters after an officer reportedly shot a Venezuelan migrant in the leg on Wednesday.

The president blamed the “corrupt” politicians of Minnesota and stated that if things didn’t improve, he would invoke the 'Insurrection Act'. If that were to happen, Trump would have the power to deploy military and National Guard units to Minnesota to control the domestic insurrection. 

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - OCTOBER 26: U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (not in frame) at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Trump is in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and will next travel to Japan, en route to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (not in frame) at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Trump praises judge for not blocking ICE operations in Minnesota

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to comment on the ongoing unrest in the state of Minnesota. In one of his posts, he blamed the politicians in Minnesota for the insurrection and warned them about continuing to attack ICE agents.

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of ICE, who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added that many presidents before him had done the same to rapidly end travesties similar to what was happening in Minnesota.

A makeshift memorial is seen as visitors attend a vigil for Renee Nicole Good in front of the United States embassy on January 11, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. Good, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot in her car by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 7, 2026. Federal officials and U.S. President Donald Trump have defended the shooting, saying the ICE agent acted in self-defense. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)
A makeshift memorial is seen as visitors attend a vigil for Renee Nicole Good in front of the United States embassy on January 11, 2026, in Berlin, Germany (Adam Berry/Getty Images)

In another post, Donald Trump praised “highly respected judge” Katherine Menendez for her ruling to reject an emergency request from the state of Minnesota to bar the Trump administration from using ICE agents to tackle the alleged illegal immigration problem in the state. 

Trump wrote that in light of Judge Menendez’s ruling, ICE would continue its successful operation of removing some of the most “violent and vicious” criminals from Minnesota.

“The great patriots of Law Enforcement will continue to make our country safe. RECORD LOW CRIME NUMBERS!!!” Trump wrote. 

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 07: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara (C) arrives at the scene of a shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to federal officials, the agent,
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara (C) arrives at the scene of a shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

ICE agent shoots Venezuelan migrant amid Minnesota protests

The state of Minnesota has been in a tense state since an ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on January 7 in Minneapolis.

Residents took to the streets to protest the presence of armed federal officers in the city, and saw a grave escalation when an ICE agent shot another person, a Venezuelan man, in the leg, on Wednesday.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that the federal law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop when the shooting took place.

“In an attempt to evade arrest, the subject fled the scene in his vehicle and crashed into a parked car. The subject then fled on foot,” DHS wrote on X.

Law enforcement at the scene of a reported shooting Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Law enforcement at the scene of a reported shooting Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in Minneapolis (AP Photo/John Locher)

ICE agents chased and tried to apprehend the subject when he reportedly began violently assaulting the officer. Two civilians joined the attack on the officer while using a shovel and a broom. 

“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life,” the statement continued. 

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