1,500 Soldiers on Alert for Possible Minnesota Deployment

By Staff, Agencies

The Pentagon has placed 1,500 active-duty soldiers on standby for possible Minnesota deployment as the state mobilizes the National Guard.

A Trump administration source said standby troops don’t guarantee deployment; ABC News first reported the preparations.

Two battalions from Alaska’s 11th Airborne Division are on prepare‑to‑deploy orders for Minnesota, possibly for crowd control or law enforcement support, though their exact role has not been determined.

Military officials said they have options ready for Trump, with the Pentagon and White House emphasizing they are always prepared to execute the Commander-in-Chief’s orders.

The standby troops follow reports of a surge in CBP and other federal personnel, including some FBI agents.

Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety says the National Guard is not on city streets but is mobilized and ready to support public safety.

Minnesota National Guard Spokesperson Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya said the Guard is “staged and ready to respond” and will help provide “traffic support to protect life, preserve property, and support the rights of all Minnesotans to assemble peacefully.”

Walz thanked local law enforcement for keeping the peace amid protests and urged demonstrators to “stay safe and stay peaceful.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the troop standby “was clearly designed to intimidate the people of Minneapolis,” calling it “ridiculous” and “completely unconstitutional,” and added, “I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government.”

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche backed Trump’s suggestion to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, saying it may be needed “because their leadership is not doing their jobs” to keep citizens safe.

Protests continue on Minneapolis’s cold streets, with standoffs between federal officers and anti- and pro-ICE demonstrators

The fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent has sparked nationwide protests against aggressive federal immigration tactics.

Walz gave the initial order for the state National Guard to support local law enforcement the day after Good was killed.

Minneapolis protests eased Sunday after a tense Saturday, with a small crowd outside the federal building and some detentions but largely peaceful demonstrations.

A small pro-ICE rally led by Jake Lang was outnumbered by counter-protesters; Lang was reportedly injured, and the crowd dispersed without incident.

A judge barred federal agents in Minneapolis from arresting peaceful protesters or stopping vehicles without cause, affecting Operation Metro Surge.

DHS and Border Patrol called the order “ridiculous,” saying force is used only against violent agitators, while the city expects compliance.

Blanche backed Trump’s mention of the Insurrection Act for Minnesota, saying Trump “has promised to keep the American people safe” and suggesting stronger federal action may be needed when local leadership “is not doing their jobs.