The FBI has asked agents across the United States to volunteer for temporary duty in Minneapolis, as protests against federal law enforcement operations intensify following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News that internal messages have been sent seeking volunteers, though the request did not specifically reference the anti-ICE demonstrations that have swelled since Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed on January 7. Details of the assignment remain unclear, and the FBI declined to comment.
In response to the protests, thousands of additional ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents have been deployed to Minneapolis. Reports indicate that around 1,500 active-duty soldiers may be preparing for deployment, with President Donald Trump threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to use military force against civilians.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the federal presence, stating, “They’ve got 3,000 or so ICE agents and Border Patrol. That they are now talking about deploying 1,500 military – this is, well it’s ridiculous.” He added, “The best way to get safety is not to have an influx of even more agents and in this case, military, to Minneapolis.”
The Trump administration has defended the ICE officer's actions, claiming his life was at risk, while Democratic officials and law enforcement analysts have disputed this account. The unrest follows heightened immigration enforcement in Minnesota since the start of the year, linked to an alleged fraud ring involving Somali-American-run daycares. The Department of Homeland Security reports over 2,500 arrests in the state.
