As mass anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) protests sweep the US, President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, not to intervene in protests occurring in cities led by Democrats unless local authorities ask for federal help.
Taking to his social media site, Truth Social, Trump posted that “under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly-run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help.”
He provided no further details on how his order would affect operations by US ICE and DHS personnel, or other federal agencies, but added: “We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists.”
In addition to his instructions to Noem, Trump said he had directed “ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property.”
Also Read: Federal immigration agents kill another US citizen in Minneapolis
The Trump administration has already deployed the National Guard, or federal law enforcement officials, in a number of Democratic areas, including Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon. But Saturday’s order comes as opposition to such tactics has grown, particularly in Minnesota’s Twin Cities region after ICE agents killed two US citizens in past weeks: Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.
Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul have challenged a federal immigration enforcement surge in those cities, arguing that DHS is violating constitutional protections. But, a federal judge said she won’t halt enforcement operations as the lawsuit proceeds.
While state and local officials had sought a quick order to halt the enforcement action or limit its scope, Justice Department lawyers called the lawsuit “legally frivolous.”
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the federal action in Minnesota and across the country.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who was sent to Minneapolis following the killings of Good and Pretti, seemingly to ease tensions there, has suggested the administration could reduce the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota – but only if state and local officials cooperate.
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