Ask Onix
Troops prepared for potential Minneapolis mission
A U.S. defense official confirmed to CBS News on Sunday that 1,500 active-duty soldiers from Alaska remain an option for President Donald Trump as demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue in Minneapolis.
No deployment decision yet
The soldiers, stationed at Fort Wainwright as part of the 11th Airborne Division, have not been ordered to move, the official said. Their readiness follows Trump's recent threat to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow federal troops to perform domestic law enforcement.
Protests persist after fatal shooting
Demonstrations erupted after ICE agents fatally shot U.S. citizen Renee Good on January 7 while she monitored agency operations as a legal observer. Minnesota officials have called for peaceful protests, while the Trump administration labeled Good a "domestic terrorist."
Nationwide rallies have featured signs demanding "Justice for Renee."
Federal judge restricts ICE crowd control
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez issued an order Friday limiting ICE's use of force against "peaceful and unobstructive" protesters. The ruling bars arrests or pepper spray against demonstrators observing ICE activities.
State and federal forces already deployed
Governor Tim Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard and placed it on alert. Additional law enforcement officers were sent to Minneapolis ahead of Saturday's protests, which drew thousands following a week of ICE operations in the city.
