U.S. defence authorities report that 1,500 troops from Alaska’s 11th Airborne Division at Fort Wainwright remain on high alert for potential dispatch to Minneapolis.
This readiness supports President Donald Trump should he choose to deploy active military forces amid intensifying protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The demonstrations, which continued on Saturday, stem from the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Renee Good by an ICE agent on 7 January.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state National Guard and bolstered police numbers in anticipation of further unrest. Local leaders urge peaceful conduct following weekend arrests and one officer injured by projectiles.
A federal judge’s recent order restricts ICE tactics against non-disruptive demonstrators, prohibiting arrests or pepper spray even for those observing operations.
Tensions rise as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem pledges additional agents despite Mayor Jacob Frey’s demand for ICE withdrawal. Good served as a legal observer during an ICE raid when agent Jonathan Ross fired into her vehicle; authorities claim she attempted to strike him, though officials contest this.
The Trump administration deems her a “domestic terrorist,” fueling nationwide “Justice for Renee” rallies from coast to coast.
Last week, Trump warned of invoking the Insurrection Act to enable military policing domestically. The FBI and state investigators examine the incident as duelling protests persist, with no Alaskan deployment confirmed yet.