1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to publicly oppose President Trump's threatened invocation of the Insurrection Act against Minnesota. On January 15, 2026, the President posted on Truth Social threatening to deploy military forces against Minnesotans exercising their First Amendment rights to protest ICE operations in their communities. This threat represents a dangerous escalation that would fundamentally undermine constitutional protections. The Insurrection Act should be reserved for genuine insurrections, not deployed against citizens peacefully assembling to petition their government. Governor Tim Walz has not requested federal military assistance. Instead, he delivered a primetime address demanding the withdrawal of the approximately 800 Customs and Border Protection agents whose operations have caused what he described as chaos, disruption, and trauma in Minneapolis communities. The protests stem from legitimate grievances. Last week, Renee Nicole Good, a United States citizen, was killed when an ICE agent fired at her vehicle. This was followed by a second ICE-involved shooting within a week, where an agent shot an alleged undocumented immigrant in the leg. Federal officers have deployed tear gas, pepper balls, and flash bangs against demonstrators. These are not the actions of an agency operating with appropriate restraint and accountability. Using military force to suppress dissent would set a catastrophic precedent. It would signal that any administration can deploy troops against Americans who criticize federal law enforcement operations. This threatens the foundational principle that citizens have the right to speak freely without fear of military retaliation. I ask that you issue a public statement opposing any invocation of the Insurrection Act in Minnesota and call for de-escalation of federal operations that have already resulted in one citizen's death. Our constitutional rights depend on elected officials defending them when they come under threat.