Trump's military threat comes as Minneapolis reels under ICE
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ICE agents detain a woman Tuesday in Minneapolis after pulling her from a car. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
President Trump's threat to deploy federal troops to Minneapolis comes as the city is already in turmoil, with daily demonstrations, school disruptions, and fear running through immigrant communities and beyond amid the government's immigration crackdown.
Why it matters: The unprecedented ICE surge has the hallmarks of an occupation in some neighborhoods, as masked and heavily armed agents drive around in large SUVs, tussle with protesters and observers, and break into people's cars and houses to make arrests.
Driving the news: "If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don't obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State," Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social.
- Trump's immigration crackdown is tied in part to allegations of widespread fraud in Minnesota involving Somali residents. According to U.S. Census figures, of the more than 80,000 Somalis living in Minnesota, about 4,200 are not U.S. citizens, per PBS.
A few hours after Trump's post, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) made a "direct appeal" to Trump to "turn the temperature down."
- "Stop this campaign of retribution," Walz said in a statement. "This is not who we are."
- And to Minnesotans, he said: "I know this is scary. We can — we must — speak out loudly, urgently, but also peacefully. We cannot fan the flames of chaos. That's what he wants."
The latest: Tensions ratcheted up Wednesday after a confrontation in North Minneapolis, where U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials said a federal agent shot a man following an attack with a snow shovel and broom.
- DHS' account has not been independently verified.
- That followed last week's killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother shot in her vehicle by an ICE officer, bringing global attention to the agency's actions in the city.
Zoom in: Minneapolis' Lake Street corridor — the same area that burned during the 2020 unrest over the police murder of George Floyd, and just a few blocks from where Good was killed — has been an epicenter of ICE activity.
- The area's Midtown Global Market is usually a buzzy hub for immigrant-owned businesses and customers, but several vendors have closed shop with their customers afraid to leave home.
- Longtime vendor Manny's Tortas is suffering a 40% decline in business, owner Manny González tells Axios. He said it's worse than 2020, and he won't last another month like this.
School districts with big Latino populations are reporting a sharp drop in attendance amid similar fears.
- Minneapolis and St. Paul schools are offering remote learning for families who don't feel safe sending their kids outside.
- Spanish immersion day care centers have cut their hours and asked parents to keep their kids home if possible.
What we're watching: A massive network of observers is trailing immigration agents around the Twin Cities, standing watch near immigrant businesses and alerting potential ICE targets with whistles and car horns.
- These observers have recorded agents repeatedly kneeing a detainee in the face and dragging a woman from her vehicle as she said she was trying to get to a doctor's appointment, among other clips that have gone viral nationally and beyond.
By the numbers: Homeland Security says it has arrested 2,500 people in Minnesota since Nov. 29, including 13 gang members.
- A Fox 9 analysis showed that 103 of those arrested are violent criminals. DHS has not said how many have been deported, charged or released.
Between the lines: While raids are happening across the Twin Cities area, life remains mostly normal in many neighborhoods and suburbs.
What's next: An abnormally warm January so far has made both immigration enforcement and protesting more tenable.
- Subzero Arctic air headed to the Twin Cities this weekend could quell some of the tension — at least temporarily.
