Things are heating up in Minneapolis right now, with the city on edge over massive protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Officials say about 1,500 active-duty soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska are ready to go if President Donald Trump decides to send them in—though no final call has been made yet.
This all stems from the tragic shooting on January 7, when ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good, a U.S. citizen, poet, writer, and mom of three (including a young child). She was acting as a legal observer monitoring ICE activity in her car when the incident happened—videos and reports show conflicting accounts, with ICE claiming she tried to run over agents, while eyewitnesses and local leaders dispute that, saying she was turning away. The shooting has sparked nationwide outrage, with vigils, marches, and calls for “Justice for Renee.”
Here are some powerful scenes from the protests across the country, showing the grief and determination of demonstrators:
These heartbreaking images capture the memorials and crowds demanding accountability.
Protests in Minneapolis have turned intense at times, with clashes involving tear gas, pepper balls, and arrests. A federal judge recently stepped in, limiting ICE tactics against peaceful protesters—no arrests or pepper spray for those just observing or monitoring. Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz has mobilized the state’s National Guard, urged everyone to stay peaceful, and criticized the heavy federal presence.
Trump has escalated things by threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act—an old law from 1807 that lets the president deploy active-duty military for domestic law enforcement in cases of rebellion or unrest. He posted on social media that if Minnesota leaders don’t stop what he calls “professional agitators” attacking “Patriots of ICE,” he’ll use it to end the “travesty.” A second shooting last week, where an agent wounded a man during an arrest attempt, only added fuel to the fire.
More views from the streets of Minneapolis, where crowds have confronted federal agents and held signs for justice:
And on the military side, these troops from the 11th Airborne are prepped and waiting in Alaska:
Around 1,500 soldiers on standby for deployment to Minneapolis …
The situation feels like a powder keg—federal agents have flooded the area with thousands of personnel for what’s called “Operation Metro Surge,” while state and local officials push back hard, even suing to limit the operations. Everyone’s calling for calm, but with emotions running high after Renee’s death and these ongoing enforcement actions, it’s clear the divide is deep and the stakes are high.
Our hearts go out to Renee’s family and the Minneapolis community navigating this tough moment.