Federal agents detain a protester near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has claimed his city is being “invaded” by ICE officers in the wake of Renee Nicole Good’s death, as discussions take place within the Department of Homeland Security about deploying 1,500 troops to the Twin Cities.
In a conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Frey, a Democrat, described Minneapolis as “under siege” after an “invasion” by ICE agents.
“I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government,” Frey stated. “They’ve got around 3,000 ICE agents and Border Patrol. They are now discussing deploying 1,500 military- this is absurd.
“But we will not be cowed by the actions of this federal government.”
Frey’s remarks come on the heels of a Washington Post article revealing that the Pentagon is gearing up to dispatch 1,500 active-duty soldiers if violence in Minnesota escalates, with unnamed officials referring to the move as “prudent planning.”
It remains uncertain whether any of these soldiers will ultimately be deployed to the state. The Department of Defense has yet to comment on these reports. However, the White House issued a statement saying it’s standard procedure for the Pentagon “to be prepared for any decision the President may or may not make.”
Earlier this week, Trump also warned protesters that he could invoke the Insurrection Act to “quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State.”
Read more: Trump ‘ready to invoke Insurrection Act and send troops into Minnesota’
Read more: ICE agent identified with ‘absolute immunity’ after fatal Minneapolis shooting
On Friday, he appeared to retract those threats, telling journalists, ‘I don’t think I need it right now.'”
By invoking the Insurrection Act, the president gains the authority to deploy military forces on American soil to quash an insurrection, enabling troops to make arrests and conduct searches domestically—two actions typically forbidden to the military.
The act is exceptionally rare and reserved solely for extreme scenarios, such as widespread civil unrest or armed uprising.Turmoil in Minnesota erupted following the fatal shooting of 37 year old mother and poet Renee Nicole Good on 7th January.
Video footage of the incident shows Good attempting to drive away from ICE officers who had approached her SUV, but as she pulled off, another agent, Jonathan Ross, approached her window and fired at least three shots at her.
The distressing shooting, coupled with the Trump administration’s backing of Ross, has ignited national and international fury, with thousands flooding the streets to demonstrate against the federal agency and what they consider to be its “reckless” conduct.
By invoking the Insurrection Act, the president gains the authority to deploy military forces on American soil (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has claimed his city is being “invaded” by ICE officers (Image: Getty Images)
“I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government,” Frey said.
“We’re in a position right now where we have residents that are asking the very limited number of police officers that we have to fight ICE agents on the street.
“We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another.”
The mayor’s handling of the shooting has made him the Justice Department’s latest focus, with officials confirming to The Associated Press that both Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are under investigation for allegedly obstructing federal immigration enforcement through their public remarks.
The probe, which both Walz and Frey have condemned as intimidation, centres on potential breaches of a conspiracy statute, according to sources.
