National Guard deployed to Minneapolis? Can they make arrests? Tim Walz warns ICE, Trump

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Saturday announced that the state's National Guard has been activated

Updated on: Jan 25, 2026, 19:09:39 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Saturday announced that the state's National Guard has been activated and is assisting local law enforcement amid growing protests. This comes hours after Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Minneapolis local and American citizen, was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz said that ‘Minnesota has had it’, as he called on the Trump administration to withdraw ICE agents from Minneapolis. (AP)

Walz further added that ‘Minnesota has had it’, calling on the Trump administration to withdraw ICE agents from Minneapolis. The city's police department said that the National Guard will assist officers in implementing a temporary vehicle perimeter near the scene of the shooting.

Has the Minnesota National Guard been deployed to Minneapolis?

“Minneapolis Police resources are already stretched thin because of public safety disruptions federal immigration agents have caused. Due to this, we’ve requested the Minnesota National Guard help with staffing in response to today’s fatal shooting involving federal agents,” the city posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“This is out of an abundance of caution to reinforce local community safety efforts near the scene, including support for a vehicle perimeter around the scene to ensure safe passage of residents while preventing entry of materials for barricades and fires.”

This comes after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey requested Walz to activate the National Guard.

“Guard members will wear neon reflective vests to help distinguish them from other agencies who may be in similar uniforms. They will also remain in close contact with and proximity to the MPD officers they are supporting.” authorities said.

“To be clear, this activation comes at the request of Mayor Frey. The federal gov't does not have involvement in their activities. Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office also requested National Guard assist at the B.H. Whipple Federal Building to fill additional officer shifts.”

Can the National Guard make arrests?

State-controlled National Guard can make arrests. They operate with state law enforcement powers, similar to police, and can detain individuals for state-level crimes.

The Minnesota National Guard has been on standby since Renee Nicole Good's death earlier this month.

“We respect and protect everyone's rights to voice concerns and stand up for what they believe in, but we urge all actions to remain peaceful and lawful. Our collective priority remains protecting our neighborhoods and keeping people safe,” officials said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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