Protesters and police confront each other in Minneapolis, Minnesota. [Photo=SBS News Capture]

As riots spread in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in protest of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)'s crackdown, a tense crisis is escalating with U.S. President Donald Trump considering the invocation of the Insurrection Act, which would allow the deployment of the Army's 11th Airborne Division.

The 11th Airborne Division, "Arctic Angels," Prepared for Deployment to Minnesota

According to major local foreign media outlets on the 18th (local time), the U.S. Department of Defense has ordered approximately 1,500 soldiers from two infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, stationed in Alaska, to enter a state of readiness for deployment.

The 11th Airborne Division, nicknamed the "Arctic Angels," is an elite unit specializing in harsh winter operations and urban combat. Experts believe the Department of Defense made a strategic choice considering Minnesota's cold climate and urban terrain.

Typically, the 82nd Airborne Division is deployed during riots. However, they are currently mobilized to enforce a state of emergency on the southern U.S. border with Mexico, leading to the 11th Airborne Division being tasked with this role instead.

The core background for this military readiness is President Trump's potential invocation of the "Insurrection Act." Enacted in 1807, this law grants the president powerful authority to deploy active-duty military personnel to quell riots without the request or consent of the state governor.

If the law is invoked this time, it will be the first instance in approximately 34 years since the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King incident in 1992. Specifically, the deployment of military forces against the governor's opposition would be the first such event in about 60 years, since the period of desegregation.

Trump: "Will Not Stand By and Watch Violent Protests"

Local authorities and the federal government are clashing fiercely over accountability.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey strongly criticized, stating, "The federal government is trying to invade our city."

Conversely, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen shifted the blame for the excessive force controversy onto the protesters and local governments, saying, "Democratic mayors are allowing violent protests, causing harm to innocent citizens."

On the 15th (local time), President Trump announced on Truth Social, "If Minnesota officials cannot stop the protesters attacking ICE agents, I will invoke the Insurrection Act to quickly end this absurdity taking place in that once great state."

Korean patriotic conservatives viewing this situation are welcoming Trump's firm stance, with sentiments like, "The legitimacy of law enforcement by the military should not be undermined by political conflict. If a national emergency arises, like in our country, it could become difficult for the military to perform its role."

Reporter Lim Yo-hee