As protests continue in the United States over the immigration crackdown, the Trump administration is reportedly considering invoking the Insurrection Act.
Tear gas was used on the streets of Minnesota to counter protests triggered by the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent. U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement has triggered similar scenes across the U.S. over the past year.
But Trump's tone has marked Minnesota as an inflection point.
"I don't think there's any reason right now to use it [Insurrection Act ], but if I needed it, I'd use it. It's very powerful," he told reporters on Jan. 16.
What Trump was threatening to use was one of the most controversial pieces of legislation enshrined in 1807 to effectively use the military for law enforcement.
The Insurrection Act was last used in 1992 when deadly protests engulfed Los Angeles after four white police officers caught on camera beating African American Rodney King were acquitted of the most serious charges. And before that, outrage over the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968 brought troops onto the streets of cities like Detroit and Washington D.C.
The Insurrection Act states that "Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion."
Some legal scholars say the Insurrection Act is a dangerous escalation, while others argue Trump is within his rights to do so.
Trump has already deployed National Guard soldiers across the U.S. over the objections of local authorities. His administration insists their role is limited to supporting immigration enforcement and while they do not arrest people, they can detain them.
In Washington D.C, some say they don't see the difference, while others welcome the presence of troops in the capital.
"The insurrectionist in chief is turning his insurrectionist army loose on the United States of America," said a Washington D.C. resident.
"I like them here because I live across the street and they really look out for me. Because I sometimes like to walk a lot. So I'll be out there at night and I see them, they say 'hi,' I say "hi, how are you doing?'" said another resident.
While Trump has backed off deploying more National Guard troops to cities like Chicago, they are expected to stay in Washington D.C. for the rest of 2026.
Trump administration weighs invoking Insurrection Act to deploy military troops in Minnesota
