What is the Insurrection Act — and why Minneapolis is at the centre of it
Right now, Minneapolis is back in the national spotlight, with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urging calm after Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to escalating protests and clashes involving federal agents. Walz has called on the former president to “turn the temperature down”, warning that rhetoric — and military threats — risk making an already tense situation worse.
The backdrop is grim. Protests erupted following a fatal shooting by an ICE officer, with fear and anger spreading after a second shooting by federal agents days later. As crowds grew, Trump floated the idea of deploying the military, framing the unrest as something local authorities could no longer control. Walz, meanwhile, has stressed de-escalation, peaceful protest and the need to keep Minnesota from tipping into further violence.
So… what is the Insurrection Act?
In plain terms, the Insurrection Act of 1807 is a rarely used U.S. law that allows a president to deploy the military on American soil. Normally, soldiers aren’t allowed to act as domestic law enforcement — but this law is the loophole.
It gives the president power to send in troops if:
- State governments can’t or won’t stop violence
- Federal law is being blocked
- Civil rights are being denied and states fail to act
It’s been used before — most notably during the Civil Rights era, when presidents sent troops to enforce school desegregation, and during the 1992 LA riots. What makes it controversial now is how broadly it could be applied, and whether protests — even volatile ones — meet the threshold of an “insurrection”.
Why people are worried
Critics argue that threatening the Act escalates tension rather than calming it. Civil rights groups warn it blurs the line between law enforcement and military force, while state leaders like Walz say federal muscle risks undermining local authority and community trust.
Supporters, on the other hand, say it’s a necessary tool if federal officers are being attacked and local leaders lose control.
For now, the Act hasn’t been invoked — but the fact it’s being openly discussed has already shifted the mood. Minneapolis isn’t just dealing with protests; it’s caught in a larger fight over federal power, policing, and how far a president can go inside their own country.
And that’s why three words written over 200 years ago suddenly feel very current again.
