President Donald Trump threatened to take matters into his own hands if Minnesota Democrats don’t take action against violent protesters wreaking havoc on federal law enforcement.
Trump declared Thursday morning in a Truth Social post that he would invoke the Insurrection Act if the “corrupt politicians” of Minnesota do nothing to stop the violence being perpetrated against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The announcement follows days of unrest across Minneapolis, which has included rioters looting federal vehicles and repeatedly obstructing enforcement operations.
“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,” the president stated. “Thank you for [your] attention to this matter!”
The announcement follows a deadly shooting in Minneapolis, in which a protester allegedly attempted to drive over an ICE agent, forcing the agent to fire defensive shots in return. The incident has sparked days of unrest in the city and prompted Democrats to ramp up their opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
Under the Insurrection Act of 1807, a president has the authority to utilize the National Guard and military in order to combat “unlawful obstruction or rebellion” within U.S. borders. The act was last invoked in 1992 by George H.W. Bush to suppress the Los Angeles riots, and was also used by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957 to enforce school desegregation in southern states.
This is not the first time Trump has considered using the Insurrection Act. Multiple officials working in his first administration said he was weighing the authority in 2019 to boot illegal migrants out of the country.
Video footage caught violent mobs in Minnesota destroying an ICE vehicle. Other footage shows rioters looting federal vehicles, stealing equipment and other items inside.
In response to the increased ICE presence, Minnesota officials, joined by Minneapolis and St. Paul leaders, have sued to keep ICE out of the state. Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, have demanded agents leave.
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