Anticipating Escalation of Protests in Minnesota, the Pentagon Prepares 1,500 Elite Soldiers

JAKARTA - The Pentagon is preparing about 1,500 members of the 11th Airborne Division for a possible deployment to Minnesota if unrest escalates amid immigration operations in the state, The Washington Post reported, citing US defense officials.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the launch of the largest immigration operation in Minnesota, with about 2,000 agents and officers deployed to the state.

Multiple sources said the troops would come from two infantry battalions of the US Army's 11th Airborne Division based in Alaska, a unit that specializes in operations in cold weather.

The soldiers have been ordered to prepare for possible deployment if unrest in Minnesota escalates, though officials said it was unclear whether the troops would ultimately be used, the newspaper reported.

The White House told The Washington Post that it is standard practice for the Pentagon to prepare for any possible decisions by US President Donald Trump.

On January 15, Trump said he would use his authority to impose the Insurrection Act on the Minnesota government, which was accused of encouraging protests against the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Noem later said the president had no plans to pull ICE officers from Minnesota.

The Insurrection Act is a US federal law adopted in 1807.

The rule gives the president the authority to deploy the US Armed Forces and National Guard throughout the country or in specific states to suppress civil unrest, insurrection, or armed resistance against the federal government.

The threat of using the Insurrection Act comes amid large protests against federal immigration operations.

Tensions in Minnesota have escalated after a resident was killed in a shooting incident by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, which sparked widespread demonstrations in Minneapolis and other areas.

The federal government has deployed many immigration agents to the state in the largest immigration enforcement operation ever conducted in Minnesota.

There has been no final decision from the federal government on the deployment of military forces, and Pentagon officials have stressed that the troops that have been prepared will only be used if the situation worsens and in accordance with applicable laws.

Minnesota is one of the states in the western central US, known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", with the capital Saint Paul and its largest city Minneapolis.

The state is known for its rich agricultural, natural resource and active urban life, and is home to 11 sovereign Native American nations.