The United States Department of Defense has issued preparatory orders for approximately 1,500 active-duty Army paratroopers stationed in Alaska, placing them on high alert for potential deployment to Minnesota. This military readiness measure follows escalating tensions in the Midwestern state, where widespread protests have erupted in response to aggressive federal immigration enforcement operations.\n\nThe development emerges against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s recent threat to invoke the Insurrection Act—a centuries-old statute permitting military deployment to quell domestic unrest. While the President subsequently indicated no immediate necessity for such measures, defense officials confirm contingency planning remains underway. The potential mobilization, first reported by ABC News citing anonymous defense sources, would mark the first application of the Insurrection Act in over three decades if implemented.\n\nMinnesota’s political leadership has expressed vehement opposition to federal intervention. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey characterized the existing deployment of 3,000 federal immigration agents as an \”occupying force\” that has \”invaded our city,\” alleging disproportionate targeting of Latino and Somali communities. Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard to support local law enforcement, emphasizing state-level control over emergency response operations.\n\nHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the ongoing immigration crackdown, vowing to continue operations \”until we are sure that all dangerous people are picked up, brought to justice, and deported.\” The current unrest traces its origins to the January 7th fatal shooting of a US woman by federal agents in Minneapolis, which ignited sustained protests and clashes between demonstrators and immigration authorities.\n\nThe Pentagon’s alert order represents the latest chapter in the ongoing tension between federal and state authorities regarding immigration enforcement. Similar scenarios unfolded recently in Los Angeles, where 700 Marines were deployed to guard federal properties during immigration protests, though President Trump ultimately declined to invoke the Insurrection Act on that occasion.