According to Walz, this decision was made last week: units have been placed on heightened alert to quickly respond to the worsening situation. The deployment of forces is being carried out in cooperation with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, the State Patrol, and other law enforcement agencies.
The primary task for the National Guard will be to secure the Whipple building in Minneapolis, which, according to the governor, will help free up local law enforcement resources to maintain order on the streets of the city.
Walz sharply criticized the actions of ICE agents who arrived in Minneapolis to conduct immigration operations. He noted that he had seen footage of the incident that resulted in the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a nurse and U.S. citizen, and called the Department of Homeland Security's official version of events regarding the deceased's resistance "absurd."
The governor claims that federal forces "killed a man, provoked chaos, dispersed protesters, used gas indiscriminately, and left the scene," leaving the aftermath on the shoulders of state and city authorities. He emphasized that local officials are striving to ensure the opportunity for peaceful protests and the exercise of rights under the First Amendment while preventing violence.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed the opinion that the large presence of ICE agents makes the city less safe and called on U.S. President Donald Trump to stop their further deployment to Minneapolis. In response, Trump accused the city and state leadership of inciting unrest, claiming that federal forces are acting in the interest of safety.
Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, also criticized Walz and Frey, asserting that they are supporting lawbreakers. In response to these events, Minnesota authorities filed a lawsuit against several federal agencies, demanding the preservation of evidence in the shooting case. The investigation into the death of Alex Pretti is ongoing.
It is worth noting that earlier, on January 7, 2026, during a federal immigration control operation, an ICE officer shot 37-year-old Rene Nicole Good. Federal agents claimed that the woman attempted to run over an officer with her vehicle; however, this version is being disputed by local authorities and witnesses.
