Front Burner

Can ICE be restrained?

State and local officials, along with many citizens, want ICE agents out of Minnesota. Trump is threatening to send in the military. Can ICE be restrained?
Text to Speech Icon
Listen to this article
Estimated 1 minute
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, including one wearing a 'NOT ICE' face covering, walk near their vehicles.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, including one wearing a 'NOT ICE' face covering, walk near their vehicles, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Richfield, Minn. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) (AP)
LISTEN | FRONT BURNER:

Anti-ICE protests continued throughout Minnesota over the weekend, as they have for nearly two weeks now. Since the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, ICE agents have been getting in confrontations with the people they are targeting, and the citizens attempting to observe and document ICE’s actions. 

The city and state are on a razor’s edge trying to observe and protest while not giving U.S. President Donald Trump an opportunity to escalate. Trump has threatened to use the Insurrection Act to deploy military troops against protesters,  with some 1,500 troops reportedly standing ready. 

Can he do that? And can anything be done to restrain the power of ICE officers deployed to Minneapolis and beyond?

Today we hear from Aaron Reichlin-Melnick. He’s a Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council and has been following all of this very closely.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Subscribe to Front Burner on your favourite podcast app.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Listen on YouTube