As the standoff between federal immigration authorities and local leadership in Minnesota intensifies, a top legal analyst for CNN confirmed Monday that President Donald Trump possesses the unilateral legal authority to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell the unrest.
Elie Honig, CNN’s senior legal analyst, appeared on “CNN News Central” to clarify the scope of the president’s powers amid the turmoil. While characterizing the potential move as a “dramatic step” that would be historically rare, Honig noted the law grants the executive branch sweeping capabilities during times of civil disorder.
“This is a law that allows the president essentially to take our military forces—and I don’t mean National Guard, I mean Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines—and turn them into local police, local law enforcement, which ordinarily is not permitted,” Honig explained.
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The discussion arises as roughly 3,000 federal agents operate within Minnesota in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) describes as the largest immigration enforcement operation in American history. The surge in federal presence has led to volatile clashes, sparked largely by the January 7 death of Renee Good. Authorities say Good was fatally shot after striking an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent with her vehicle.
Violence has continued to ripple through the area. In a separate incident, an ICE agent discharged their weapon, wounding an undocumented Venezuelan national in the leg, after three individuals allegedly attacked the agent with a snow shovel.
Citing these flashpoints, President Trump has floated the possibility of federal military intervention if local politicians fail to “stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists.” While the President told reporters on Friday that the measure is not currently necessary, the logistical framework for escalation is already being laid. According to The New York Times, the Pentagon has alerted 200 Texas National Guard troops to remain on standby.
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Honig emphasized that the threshold for invoking the act is lower than many might expect.
“First of all, it gives the president very broad authority,” Honig said. “He can use it if there is a rebellion or insurrection or, much more broadly, even if it’s necessary to enforce federal laws.” However, he added a caveat regarding precedent: “I think it would be wildly out of step with the way it’s been invoked over our history.”
The potential for military involvement has drawn fierce condemnation from Minnesota Democrats. During a press conference on the day of Good’s death, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey directed a profane message at federal agents, telling ICE to “get the f— out” of his city.
Similarly, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar expressed shock at the scale of the federal operation. “I never thought I would experience something like this in the goddamn United States,” Omar said, comparing the scenes in her district to operations in her birth country of Somalia.
For now, the situation remains in a fragile stasis, with federal agents on the ground and the White House holding the option of the Insurrection Act in reserve.
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