(NewsNation) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the possible deployment of active-duty troops into the city “unconstitutional” and labeled federal immigration enforcement as an “occupying force.”
“We are doing everything possible to keep the peace, notwithstanding this occupying force that’s quite literally invaded our city,” Frey said. “I mean, we have 600 cops in the city of Minneapolis, and we’re talking about 3,000-plus ICE agents and Border Patrol that have come in. They’re not making our city safer.”
Troops in Alaska on standby for Minnesota
At least 1,500 troops in Alaska — who specialize in operating in arctic conditions — are on standby for possible deployment in Minnesota, if President Donald Trump were to follow through on his threat to invoke the Insurrection Act, a source confirmed to NewsNation.
As of Monday, no order to deploy has been given. But chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told NewsNation the department is “always prepared to execute the orders of the Commander-in-Chief if called upon.”
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Federal law enforcement agents confront anti-ICE protesters during a demonstration outside the Bishop Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 15, 2026. Hundreds more federal agents were heading to Minneapolis, the US homeland security chief said on January 11, brushing aside demands by the Midwestern city’s Democratic leaders to leave after an immigration officer fatally shot a woman protester. In multiple TV interviews, US Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem defended the actions of the officer who shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, whose death has sparked renewed protests nationwide against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. (Photo by Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images) -
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 17: Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers post up along a freeway ramp ahead of anticipated protests on January 17, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protest have sparked up around the city after a federal agent fatally shot a woman in her car during an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) -
Federal law enforcement officers use pepper spray against a demonstrator during a protest outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in St. Paul, Minnesota, US, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. Anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis overwhelmed a planned rally in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday, pelting the supporters with snowballs and water balloons in sub-freezing weather. Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images -
Law enforcement detain a man outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building during a protest on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
St. Paul church protest under investigation
Frey’s comments follow a group of protesters disrupting services at a Cities Church in St. Paul on Sunday.
Video posted online by BLM Minnesota showed more than a dozen demonstrators walking into a church service, chanting “Justice for Renee Good,” “ICE out,” and “Hands up, don’t shoot.”
Protesters allege that one of the pastors, David Easterwood, sits at the helm of the local ICE field office. A man with the same name appeared next to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in an October press conference, according to ABC News.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department is investigating and is threatening to use the full power of the law.
“They’re going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans,” ICE said on social media. “Tim Walz and Jacob Frey are responsible for whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant. We won’t be deterred. ICE isn’t going anywhere.”
Some hotels in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, where federal immigration officers are staying, are closing down as protests continue outside.
Though the frigid weekend saw less chaos than previous days, violence did break out Saturday when protesters surrounded Jake Lang — a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter — and a dozen pro-ICE demonstrators. Lang left the scene with blood on the back of his head.
NewsNation’s Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
