At a Glance
- The FBI has asked agents across the country to volunteer for temporary duty in Minneapolis amid escalating protests over the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer.
- Roughly 3,000 federal immigration officers now operate in the city-an unprecedented presence that residents describe as “an invasion.”
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says President Trump is considering invoking the Insurrection Act if Governor Walz does not restore order.
- Why it matters: The voluntary FBI request signals a potential federal crackdown as local leaders demand ICE leave and protests intensify.
Minneapolis is now the focal point of a federal law-enforcement buildup after the FBI quietly requested volunteers from every field office nationwide to deploy to the city, according to two sources familiar with internal communications.
The call comes as anti-ICE demonstrations surge following the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during an enforcement action. While the request remains voluntary and does not yet constitute a mass surge, it marks the first time since the unrest after George Floyd’s death that the bureau has sought nationwide reinforcements for the region.
FBI Seeks Volunteers to Investigate Attacks on Federal Officers
Agents who step forward will focus on AFO cases-the FBI’s designation for suspects accused of assaulting federal officers-and will also probe vandalism and thefts targeting bureau vehicles, the second source said. The scope of their duties could expand depending on how the situation develops.
Bloomberg first reported the internal appeal; Robert K. Lawson verified the messages through a law enforcement official who read them and a second source who has seen the directives. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on the deployment.
ICE Presence Swells to 3,000 Officers
Simultaneously, ICE has flooded Minneapolis with approximately 3,000 immigration personnel, a footprint larger than recent operations in Chicago and Los Angeles, according to News Of Philadelphia‘s review of federal staffing data. Residents report unmarked cars idling on residential blocks, agents approaching homes without warrants, and teams stationed in store parking lots.
Mayor Jacob Frey has publicly demanded ICE withdraw, echoing city council members who call the tactics intimidation. Governor Tim Walz has not requested federal assistance, prompting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to warn that President Trump is weighing use of the Insurrection Act.
> “If anything doesn’t change with Governor Walz, I don’t anticipate that the streets will get any safer or more peaceful,” Noem said Thursday.
Trump Labels Protesters “Insurrectionists”
President Trump last week characterized demonstrators as “professional agitators and insurrectionists,” language that evokes the statute that allows deployment of active-duty military for domestic disorder. Noem’s remarks indicate the White House is prepared to escalate federal intervention if state officials do not quell unrest.
Local organizers counter that protests have remained largely peaceful, with isolated incidents of property damage spurring the FBI’s AFO focus. They accuse the administration of using Good’s death as pretext for a broader immigration crackdown.
Community Reaction and Federal Tensions
Community leaders describe the atmosphere as “an invasion”:
- Neighborhood groups report ICE agents knocking on doors without warrants
- Business owners say customers stay home fearing random checks
- Clergy members organize nightly patrols to document federal activity
The Minnesota ACLU has filed open-records requests seeking details on both ICE and FBI operations, citing constitutional concerns over surveillance and stops without probable cause.
Key Takeaways
- The FBI’s voluntary national call sets the stage for expanded federal presence even as local officials resist.
- With 3,000 ICE officers already deployed, Minneapolis hosts one of the largest immigration enforcement operations in recent U.S. history.
- President Trump’s consideration of the Insurrection Act raises the stakes for Governor Walz and Mayor Frey as they balance public safety demands with community outrage over Renee Good’s death.
