At a Glance
- The FBI has asked field-office agents across the country to volunteer for temporary duty in Minneapolis
- The request follows anti-ICE protests sparked by the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer
- Volunteers will investigate assault-on-federal-officer cases and damage to FBI vehicles
- Why it matters: The move signals rising federal concern as roughly 3,000 immigration officers patrol the city and national leaders float use of the Insurrection Act
Minneapolis is drawing federal reinforcements after days of protests over a fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting, with the FBI quietly asking agents nationwide to head to the city on temporary assignment, according to two sources familiar with the internal messages.
The bureau’s call is voluntary for now, the sources said, and does not yet amount to a large-scale surge. Agents who opt in will focus on AFO-FBI shorthand for suspects who allegedly assault federal officers-and on vandalism or theft involving bureau vehicles, one source added.
Federal Buildup on the Streets
The FBI request, first reported by Bloomberg and confirmed to News Of Los Angeles by two sources, lands amid an already heavy federal presence. Roughly 3,000 immigration officers have deployed across Minnesota, a scale residents and local officials describe as bigger than prior operations in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Agents in unmarked cars idle on neighborhood streets, patrol store parking lots, and go door to door, according to residents quoted in the original report. Mayor Jacob Frey has publicly demanded ICE leave the city.
Trigger Event: The Shooting of Renee Good
Tensions ignited after Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on January 7. Demonstrators have rallied daily, decrying the shooting and the broader immigration crackdown.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters Thursday that President Donald Trump is weighing whether to invoke the Insurrection Act over the unrest, adding, “If anything doesn’t change with Governor Walz, I don’t anticipate that the streets will get any safer or more peaceful.”
Inside the FBI Call for Volunteers
- Field offices nationwide received the voluntary travel request
- Exact duties remain undefined but will center on AFO investigations
- Damage to bureau vehicles is a secondary priority
- No mass deployment has been ordered at this stage
An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on the internal communications.
Political Reaction
President Trump last week labeled protesters “professional agitators and insurrectionists,” raising the prospect of military intervention. Governor Tim Walz has not publicly responded to Noem’s remarks.
Local leaders continue to push back. Besides Mayor Frey’s demand for ICE to exit Minneapolis, state legislators have scheduled hearings on federal enforcement actions within city limits.
Key Takeaways
- The FBI is seeking volunteers, not mandating deployment-an important distinction as tensions escalate
- The federal immigration force already on the ground is among the largest seen in a U.S. city outside of border operations
- The Insurrection Act remains under active discussion at the highest levels of government
- With protests ongoing and reinforcements incoming, the standoff shows no immediate signs of cooling
