Sending soldiers to Minneapolis for immigration crackdown would be unconstitutional, mayor says

"The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers based in Alaska who specialize in operating in arctic conditions to be ready in case of a possible deployment to Minnesota, two defense officials said Sunday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans, said two infantry battalions of the Army's 11th Airborne Division have been given prepare-to-deploy orders."

"It's ridiculous, but we will not be intimidated by the actions of this federal government, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. It is not fair, it's not just, and it's completely unconstitutional. Thousands of Minneapolis citizens are exercising their First Amendment rights and the protests have been peaceful, Frey said. We are not going to take the bait. We will not counter Donald Trump's chaos with our own brand of chaos here, Frey said."

"Daily protests have been ongoing throughout January since the Department of Homeland Security ramped up immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by bringing in more than 2,000 federal officers. In a diverse neighborhood where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been frequently seen, U.S. postal workers marched through on Sunday, chanting: Protect our routes. Get ICE out."

Federal immigration enforcement increased in the Twin Cities, with the Department of Homeland Security bringing in more than 2,000 federal officers and daily protests ongoing throughout January. U.S. postal workers marched in a neighborhood frequently visited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, chanting 'Protect our routes. Get ICE out.' The Pentagon ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers based in Alaska to be ready for possible deployment to Minnesota, assigning two infantry battalions of the Army's 11th Airborne Division prepare-to-deploy orders. Officials said the troops could deploy if the president invoked the Insurrection Act. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called such deployment unconstitutional and urged peaceful protest.

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