Tensions Rise in Minneapolis Over ICE Operations

Around 1,500 US soldiers are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis amid ongoing anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demonstrations. The soldiers, currently in Alaska, are part of the 11th Airborne Division and could be deployed if US President Donald Trump decides to use active-duty military personnel. The move comes after an ICE agent shot dead US citizen Renee Good earlier this month, sparking widespread protests. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has condemned Trump's threat to send more troops, calling the existing ICE presence an 'occupying force.' A US federal judge has issued an order limiting ICE agents' crowd control tactics, but Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the ruling won't change their operations.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared on 'Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan' to discuss the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) largest operation in its history, involving nearly 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota. Noem stated that the operation aims to arrest and detain illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, with 70% of those detained having been charged with or convicted of violent crimes. The conversation turned contentious when Brennan cited statistics from Pew and the DHS's own numbers, suggesting that the percentage of detained individuals with criminal convictions was lower than Noem's claim. Noem disputed these numbers and accused the media of lying. The discussion also touched on the ICE agent shooting of Renee Good and the subsequent public reaction, with Noem defending the agent's actions as justified. Noem emphasized the need for law enforcement to protect the public and uphold the law, while Brennan raised concerns about public perception and the administration's response to the incident.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was interviewed on 'Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan' on January 18, 2026. He discussed the presence of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, describing them as an 'occupying force.' Frey stated that the agents were not making the city safer and were instead terrorizing people based on their ethnicity. He emphasized that the city's crime rate had decreased under local law enforcement. The interview also touched on the topic of a federal investigation into Frey and Governor Tim Walz for alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents. Frey expressed concern that the federal government was targeting him for speaking out on behalf of his constituents.

A recent incident in Minneapolis involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shooting an undocumented Venezuelan national, Julio Sosa-Celis, has sparked controversy due to conflicting accounts of the event. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims that Sosa-Celis resisted arrest and assaulted an officer, leading to the agent firing a defensive shot. However, videos obtained by CNN, including a video call made by Sosa-Celis' partner and a Facebook livestream, contradict DHS' statement, suggesting that another individual, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, was the target of the ICE operation and that Sosa-Celis was shot while trying to enter his home. The incident has led to heated clashes in Minnesota and prompted President Donald Trump to threaten to use the Insurrection Act.