The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers in Alaska to prepare for a potential deployment to Minnesota, according to U.S. officials. The move comes as protests have erupted in response to the federal government’s immigration enforcement actions in the state, though it is unclear if the troops will actually be sent. The units were placed on prepare-to-deploy orders in case violence escalates, officials said. President Donald Trump has threatened to use the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces if Democratic leaders in Minnesota fail to prevent protesters from obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Tensions rose sharply after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by ICE officer Jonathan Ross on January 7. Since the incident, confrontations between residents and federal agents in Minneapolis have increased. On Saturday, a far-right activist and Trump pardoned individual, Jake Lang, attempted to rally support for the immigration crackdown. Only five people attended Lang’s anti-Muslim rally, with two holding a banner reading “Americans Against Islamisation.” They were quickly overwhelmed by hundreds of counterprotesters, who used aerosol string and water in freezing temperatures to drive the small group away. Despite the small turnout, images of Lang and his supporters being injured circulated online, fueling reports of unrest. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned any military deployment, calling it “ridiculous” and warning it could worsen tensions. The city has already seen the arrival of roughly 3,000 federal immigration and border agents, facing largely peaceful demonstrations. Frey told NBC News, “We don’t need more federal agents to keep people safe. We are safe.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem suggested that Frey establish a “peaceful protest zone” for demonstrators. However, protesters have focused not only on voicing dissent but also on interfering with ICE operations, alerting immigrant communities to the presence of federal agents. The Trump administration has cited an unrelated federal funds scandal in Minnesota as a rationale for sending immigration agents, singling out the state’s Somali immigrant population. ICE has also targeted other immigrant communities. On Sunday, agents removed an elderly Hmong man from his St. Paul home while he wore only underwear and a blanket. The Hmong community came to Minnesota in the 1970s after siding with the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Approximately one-third of the U.S. Hmong population resides in Minnesota. If deployed, active-duty troops could operate under the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to use military or federalized National Guard units to quell domestic unrest. Even without invoking the act, the president may deploy forces to protect federal property, a justification Trump cited when sending Marines to Los Angeles last year. The Pentagon could also mobilize newly created rapid-response National Guard forces for civil disturbances. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said, “The Department of War is always prepared to execute the orders of the commander-in-chief if called upon.” The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The troops ordered to Minnesota specialize in cold-weather operations and are based in Alaska, officials noted, an ironic parallel to the federal response being compared to Napoleon’s winter invasion of Russia. Online images have shown ICE agents slipping on ice as local residents joked about the federal intervention. The current deployment of federal agents is part of a broader strategy by Trump in cities run by Democratic officials, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland. These deployments have been justified as protection of federal property and personnel but have faced legal challenges and local opposition. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, along with Mayor Frey, is reportedly under federal investigation for allegedly impeding ICE raids. In response, the state has mobilized its National Guard to support local law enforcement and protect the rights of peaceful protesters, according to the Department of Public Safety. As protests continue and the federal government readies additional forces, Minnesota remains at the center of a heated debate over federal authority, immigration enforcement, and civil liberties.