US orders 1,500 soldiers to prepare for possible Minnesota deployment: Report

ISTANBUL

The US has instructed 1,500 active-duty troops to get ready for a possible mission in the state of Minnesota as friction over immigration enforcement continues to grow, according to a Washington Post report on Sunday.

The units were placed on prepare-to-deploy orders, defense officials told the newspaper while describing the mobilization of two infantry battalions from the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division.

The sources framed the directive as a cautious planning step rather than a confirmed mobilization.

While the actual movement of these soldiers to Minnesota is not yet guaranteed, the White House explained that the Pentagon regularly maintains readiness for various presidential directives that might be issued.

The Defense Department did not immediately responded to the news outlet's requests for comment.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said there are already 3,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol agents, and criticized the report. "They're now talking about deploying 1,500 military? This is ridiculous, but we will not be intimidated by the actions of this federal government," he told CNN.

Insurrection act threat

The development follows US President Donald Trump's Thursday threat to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which permits federal deployment of troops and National Guard forces, if Minnesota authorities do not allow ICE to operate without interference. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Trump has constitutional authority to use the act.

Tensions have intensified amid the administration's immigration crackdown following allegations that Minnesota was involved in large-scale fraud linked to publicly subsidized day care centers, claims local officials denied.

The situation worsened after an ICE officer fatally shot an American citizen in Minneapolis.

Trump has repeatedly deployed or sought to deploy National Guard units since his January 2025 inauguration, citing needs to combat urban crime, protect ICE facilities, and support law enforcement in cities, including New Orleans and Memphis, along with Washington, DC.