Trump threatens Insurrection Act: anti-ICE protests in Minnesota

The Insurrection Act is a United States law that allows the president to deploy federal troops or the National Guard within the country to restore order during extreme situations such as rebellions, widespread violence, or when state authorities are unable or unwilling to protect constitutional rights. First passed in 1807, the act is meant to be used as a last resort and gives the president broad powers to respond quickly to internal unrest. While it has been invoked at key moments in U.S. history, its use remains controversial due to concerns about civil liberties and the balance of power between the federal government and the states.

The act has been invoked by fifteen Presidents and illegally by one Army general in response to 30 incidents, the latest of which was the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

The Insurrection Act was last used in 1992, when President George H. W. Bush invoked it in response to the Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King. As violence spread and local authorities were overwhelmed, federal troops and the National Guard were deployed to restore order and protect lives and property. Since then, no U.S. president has formally used the act.

Trump to invoke the Insurrection act for the first time in 33 years:

With tensions rising across parts of the United States in early 2026, talk of invoking the Insurrection Act has moved from theory to very real political debate. President Donald Trump, who left open the possibility of using the century-old law, has repeatedly argued that it exists “for a reason” and suggested he might use it “if people were being killed and courts were holding us up, or governors and mayors were holding us up.”

The current flashpoint centers on protests in Minneapolis and other cities following an ICE officer-involved shooting, which have at times turned violent and led the president to accuse local leaders of failing to maintain order. In this environment, the White House and some administration allies have framed the unrest as a challenge to federal authority—arguing that when local and state officials cannot or will not enforce federal law, the president may have to turn to the Insurrection Act to deploy federal troops or federalize the National Guard.

Critics, however, warn that this would be an unprecedented use of the Act in modern times and could spark legal battles and political backlash, especially because the conditions under which the law should be invoked remain vague and largely up to presidential interpretation.