(The Center Square) – Amid mentions by the president, use of active-duty Army troops on American soil to quell unrest via an 1807 federal law hasn’t taken place since verdicts announced in 1992 following the beating of Rodney King.
Published reports indicate troops are ready to go from Alaska to Minnesota, and second-term Republican President Donald Trump’s comments indicate he’s more aware of his choice than actively moving toward using it. A social media post the mercurial 79-year-old made Thursday led to speculation; Friday at the White House he said “right now” wasn’t a time to use the Insurrection Act.
“If I needed it, I’d use it,” he said.
Enhanced enforcement of federal immigration law has taken place in Minneapolis and St. Paul by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Twin Cities’ residents have clashed with agents trying to do their jobs, leading to shootings on consecutive Wednesdays.
Renee Good, 37, lost her life on Jan. 7. Last week, a person Homeland Security said is illegally in the country was being detained when others came to his aid and began to beat the federal agent. He was eventually taken into custody, and a suspect was shot by the agent.
Operation Metro Surge, says Homeland Security, has been successful in removing people illegally in the country with connection to “perpetrators of fraud, thieves, and drug traffickers.” Sexual abuse of a child, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and aggravated assault convictions are also on the record of some detained by federal agents as recently as this past week.
Published reports not confirmed or denied by the Pentagon indicated infantry divisions of the 11th Airborne Division have ready-to-deploy orders. The troops’ training in cold conditions in Alaska has been cited in the selection.
In 1992, four police officers were acquitted of beating King in Los Angeles. Republican one-term President George H.W. Bush used the Insurrection Act to help bring peace back to the city as cable television – at the time, having somewhat novel abilities – played the demonstrations live to captive audiences.
In 2020, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis at the hands of a police officer during a detainment. Trump threatened to use the law then but did not.
The president has also hinted at the law on other occasions during the past 12 months of stepping up immigration enforcement.
To enter America from another country, if not a U.S. citizen, a visa or some other travel authorization is required to be presented at a port of entry.