Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mobilizes state National Guard amid ongoing protests

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated Jan 17, 2026, 2:18 PM ET
PUBLISHED Jan 17, 2026, 6:30 AM ET


Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has mobilized the state National Guard to support the Minnesota State Patrol, Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, state public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard, said in a statement Saturday. “We are staged and ready to respond. We are not deployed to city streets at this time,” Tsuchiya added.

The mobilization comes after throngs of demonstrators protested in the snow Friday night near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in the Minneapolis area.

“Stay safe and stay peaceful today,” Walz urged the public in a social media post Saturday. “Our public safety team has the resources, coordination, and personnel on the ground to maintain public safety and respond if needed. Thanks to local law enforcement for keeping the peace.”

CNN has reached out to Walz’s office, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Department of Homeland Security for additional information about the mobilization. State and local officials in the Twin Cities are bracing for another day of protests in the wake of the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer earlier this month.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/17/us/ice-shooting-minneapolis-protests-renee-good-hnk

[creon]

1. excellent

I am glad to see it.

[Kid Berwyn]

2. GOOD!!!

Walz sends a message: the law is followed in Minnesota, not the Mafia.

[bluestarone]

3. In my mind THIS is needed.

Letting ICE run things is NOT an option. Yea it's a dangerous situation, but letting ICE destroy Minnesota's residents is also not an answer. Plus evey Democratic (and republican state later) state will see ICE appear! TY Gov. Walz!!

[Bayard]

4. Could trump still take them over and make them under federal jurisdiction?

Or, is this the part where we see state troops at war with federal troops?

[bluestarone]

5. Not sure, but i thought a thread here said Supreme court decided

That TSF needs the states governor approval first?

[paleotn]

7. He could try to federalize the MN Nat Guard. I wonder if they'll simply ignore it.

They certainly can. Minnesotans are pissed. Then there's the Insurrection Act and would active duty simply ignore that. He will reach the limit of his power if people simply say no. Word right now from Republican congress critters is many will side with impeachment if he even lifts a finger to invade Greenland. Not only is it gargantuanly wrong, it's polling extremely badly. As though their 2026 prospects weren't bad enough. I have this feeling that the country as a whole is done with this bastard. Going to get uglier before it gets better, but I don't think most Americans, even in red states, are going to put up with this latest round of stupidity.

[brer cat]

6. Good! Thanks to Gov. Walz for trying to

keep his citizens safe from roving gangs of thugs.

[murielm99]

8. Damn, Walz is displaying leadership.

We have so many great Democrats.

[brer cat]

9. Yep. He would have made a great VP.

[azureblue]

15. now use the NG

to keep them safe from ICE

[nikatnyte]

10. FINALLY!

I like Walz, but the "Isn't what's going on terrible?" lamenting got on my nerves. I kept saying, "Do something!" It looks like he finally has.

[azureblue]

16. He should

Get up In ICE's face and dare them to arrest him He should show up with his own guard, and tell ICE to GTFO, right to their faces.

[Dave Bowman]

11. That's a great news. Also, a couple of thugs getting arrested would be good for morale.

[James48]

12. Be careful

The Trump Administration could easily issue orders to federalize the National Guard, and order them not to go anywhere. Then you are down to the un-organized militia, answering the call to duty under Ninnesota law.

[azureblue]

17. He can't do that

Without permission from the governor

[James48]

31. Yes, he can.

Federal troops have been activated against the wishes of their Governor several times in the past.

[Polybius]

42. But it's been ruled illegal (last month by SC), hasn't it?

[Puppyjive]

13. The generals will decide

They will follow lawful orders. Everything Trump does is unlawful.

[No Vested Interest]

19. I hope they will; not sure in all cases. Some apparently were willing to invade Venezuela with inpunity.

[popsdenver]

37. Which

has been the question since 2016.......how deeply has MAGA infiltrated the U.S. Military, National Guards, Secret Service, LEO's, ATF, FBI, Capitol Police, DC Police, etc etc etc.
We watched some DC Police and Capitol Police stand off, move crowd control fences, etc........

If I had been inside the Capitol as an ARMED cop, I would like to think that I would have "dropped" each of the insurrectionists as they came through the doors and windows, thinking that when the bullets started, most of them would have tucked tail and run.

If I was un-armed, I would have discharged a dry chem fire extinguisher directly into the faces, at point blank range as they came through the windows or doors. For all those coming through, and the 20+ around them, it would have been game over.....

When they started going after Biden and his SS detail, I was just waiting, lucky for the insurrectionists, no matter how many, they couldn't catch up to Biden's SS Detail. It would have been a bloodbath of insurrectionists by the SS regardless of numbers of the insurrectionists.......(Ever notice, how the SS agents keep their jackets un-buttoned????????)

[paleotn]

39. Gray area. Papa Bush and Panama.

Streets of Minneapolis are a totally different story. Don't conflate the two.

[MervinFerd]

32. It is vital to avoid violent clashes with ICE.

It is vital to avoid any Reichstag Fire incident.

I don't know Walz's plans, obviously. Or understand much about the situation on the ground.

But, local police and National Guard between protesters and ICE sounds like a good idea.

[calimary]

34. Words to the wise.

I bet the opposition is thinking of new ways to screw us, every time we manage to block them.

CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!

[OldBaldy1701E]

14. So, forgive me, but I am not allowing CNN to plant stuff in my machine just to read an article.

But, based on what I am seeing here, Walz is mobilizing the Guard in response to the demonstrators that were present at the Whipple Building, and promised that they were going to 'maintain public safety' while thanking local police for 'keeping the peace'.

Doesn't that sound like he intends to have them move against the protestors, if the need arises... not the goon squad? Everyone is asking about how they are going to engage with federal agents, and I am saying that this mobilization is not to use the Guard against the ICE people, but the locals (or, the potential 'goon squad' wannabes that keep cropping up).

Am I missing something here? Because if I am, I would sure like to know.

[BumRushDaShow]

23. He had already readied and "pre-staged" them 10 days ago

Minnesota governor says he is preparing National Guard amid furor over fatal ICE shooting (ABC News Jan. 7, 2026)

By Jack Date, Luke Barr, and Meredith Deliso
January 7, 2026, 6:56 PM

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he has issued an order to prepare the state's National Guard while urging peaceful protest after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a woman in her car during operations in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

(snip)

The governor said he has issued a "warning order" to prepare the Minnesota National Guard, saying there are soldiers in training and prepared to be deployed "if necessary," while urging "peaceful resistance."

"I want Minnesotans to hear this from me: The desire to get out in the protest and to speak up to this administration of how wrong this is, that is a patriotic duty at this point in time, but it needs to be done safely," he said. "I feel your anger, I am angry. They want a show, we can't give it to them," Walz said.

A Minnesota National Guard spokesperson said following the briefing that it is "conducting necessary preparations to assist state authorities in protecting property and ensuring public safety if so ordered," and that there has not been an official request for support yet.

(snip)

I think it might be for 2 functions - to quell any "Black Bloc" idiots who show up at these protests and to perhaps be a "shield" between the protestors and the ICE goons throwing flash bangs and tear gas canisters.

[OldBaldy1701E]

35. Well, they may well be deployed to quell that and other such disruptions (as I stated above).

As to being there as a shield against ICE being... well... ICE...



I cannot see a police officer interfering with the goons squad. Doing so would also be the trigger that creates that dreaded 'M' word (followed by that 'L' word) that everyone is so afraid of that they are sitting and hoping that he won't do it as opposed to getting prepared for when he does

I guess I need to email Governor Walz and let him know that THEY are the show. We need to stop being the audience in the box seats while the others are being murdered for the amusement of the performers.

But, you know me. Believing in concept of 'humanity wins out!' again. You'd think I would have learned by now. Heh.

[popsdenver]

18. A clash

between the Minnesota Nat Guard and ICE/Border Patrol Agents is exactly what Trump/2025 wants.......................
It is exactly the kind of confrontation the Republicans need to:
Repeal the Posse Comataus Act
Invoke the so called: Insurrection Act
Utilize the entirety of the US Military
AND !!!!!! Discontinue any/all elections indefinitely.......

Damned if we do, Double Damned if we don't.......NO WIN for us, WIN-WIN for Republican strategists.....
Republicans are a micron away from Check Mate, folks......

Once Again:
The perfect title for a book about the past 46+ years would be: WHILE THE NATION SLEPT
and
"Most were walking down the jungle path, all these years, swatting at mosquitoes, and were oblivious to the herd of charging elephants"......Pun intended

[No Vested Interest]

20. No decent American would have predicted the antics of the current President.

[popsdenver]

21. After Trump's first term

I recall a ton of decent Americans that were visionaries in what the Republicans and Trump would do if corruptly installed for a second occupation of the White House.........Especially listening to his drivel at his pre-election campaign rallies......

[No Vested Interest]

22. I'm sure you're correct; those of us who are innocents in indecent behavior situations

hadn't been exposed to such thinking and behavior; having to learn and catch on quickly.

[popsdenver]

25. LOL,

Some of us here have been screaming our heads off from the rooftops about the Republican Corruption, ever since HW and his Republican CABAL, literally, committed Treason to Install Reagan in the White House in 1980..........then the Republicans were off to the races...........The group of "Reagan Democrats", as they were known, were the fore runners of these MAGA idiots......

The perfect title for a volume of books about the past 46+ years in America would be: WHILE THE NATION SLEPT

[rzemanfl]

28. I will think this over while I wash socks. n/t

[orangecrush]

29. Well fuck me

It looks like someone is finally going to give them what they want and a whole lot more.

Let's see if they still want it when they get it.

[paleotn]

40. Repeal Posse Comitatus Act? How? Without Congress?

Do you even know how that works? Stop hyperventilating. Step back and take a deep breath.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

24. THANK YOU!!!

[Joinfortmill]

26. Epstein him

[LetMyPeopleVote]

27. The Minnesota National Guard have been mobilized and are staging to support local law enforcement

Link to tweet

[Lovie777]

30. That's a gawd shame that Gov. Walz needed to do this................

NG if need be to assist the local police that are trying to protect the citizens from out of control ICE.

RWers which includes the Republican party are out of control.

[Bread and Circuses]

33. Finally! The Guard and local police need to protect the people , Arrest ICE

[Rebl2]

36. Wish had

been done a week ago.

[BlueTsunami2018]

38. To support the cops, not the protesters.

The same police who are also assaulting the protesters, stealing their water and eyewash?

How is this helpful?

[RoseTrellis]

44. You are right

The folks here that think the NG is going to do anything against ICE are delusional.

[paleotn]

41. Confront bullies and they turn coward.

You just have to have the fortitude to do so. Some here apparently think we should all hide under our collective beds.

[AverageOldGuy]

43. Playing into Trump's hands

Trump will characterize this as open rebellion, trying to interfere with federal law enforcement -- may use this an excuse to invoke the Insurrection Act.

[BlueTsunami2018]

45. How?

The cops aren’t trying to remove ICE. The Guard isn’t going there to stop ICE. They’re on the same side as the cops and the Gestapo.

[BumRushDaShow]

46. "The cops aren't trying to remove ICE. The Guard isn't going there to stop ICE."

The cops can't "remove ICE". That is the job of the courts, as has already happened in California and Oregon.

You might have noticed that "Black Bloc" (and those provocateurs who use those tactics) are out there instigating and carrying out violent acts in the same manner that you saw happen in Portland in the past and at Columbia U last year. Those are the same type of provocateurs who will also throw molotov cocktails at LEO and hurl bricks into unrelated business storefronts, all to encourage looting.

THAT type needs to be intercepted and isolated by LEO (from any source) to keep that riff raff away from the rightfully angry but peaceful/non-violent protestors and not provide an excuse to trigger the foaming-at-the-mouth criminal J6 hires, who are now working as ICE goons.