Tensions escalated between Republican lawmakers and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after Walz suggested he might deploy the National Guard to counter federal immigration enforcement in his state. The comments followed a fatal incident in Minneapolis, where an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Nicole Good after she allegedly blocked agents and struck one with her vehicle.

Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.), called for President Donald Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act and arrest Walz, citing his potential use of state military forces to oppose federal law enforcement. Other Republicans, including Reps. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), echoed these concerns, warning that deploying the National Guard against federal authorities could constitute insurrection or civil war.

Walz defended his position, stating that Minnesota has the legal authority to deploy the National Guard for state defense and public protection, and emphasized that his warning order was preparatory, not aggressive. He criticized federal involvement, asserting that Minnesota would not be used as a “prop in a national political fight.”

The dispute arises amid ongoing ICE operations in Minneapolis. The agency recently arrested Mahad Abdulkadir Yusuf, a Somali national unlawfully present in the U.S. and previously convicted of first-degree sexual assault. ICE said prior arrest attempts were blocked by building management.

The situation highlights escalating tensions between state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement, raising constitutional and political debates about state versus federal power, public safety, and law enforcement authority.