The US president has ordered not to involve federal forces in interventions against protests in cities led by Democrats, unless local authorities request it. The order responds to tense protests after the death of two citizens in crackdowns on migrants.
US President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “under no circumstances” take part in crackdowns on protests in Democratic-controlled cities – unless local authorities request it or federal property is threatened. It was announced by the Reuters agency on Sunday, writes TASR.
“Cities must protect their state and local property,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents working under DHS will continue to patrol federal buildings, the US president added.
Trump’s announcement came a day after thousands of protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and other cities to demand the departure of federal agents from the state of Minnesota, where two US citizens have already been shot dead by federal agents during DHS operations against illegal immigrants.
The Trump administration has sent about 3,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area as part of raids targeting illegal immigration. Trump has followed suit in several other Democratic-led cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC and Portland. According to Trump, these steps are necessary to enforce immigration laws and control crime. However, local leaders in many of these cities reject this view.
