In 2026, Demuth supported ICE operations and the presence of federal agents in Minnesota, and refused to say whether she would oppose Trump invoking the Insurrection Act against ICE protesters.
After an ICE agent fatally shot Minneapolis resident Renee Good, Demuth did not denounce the killing, but instead urged Minnesotans to “respect the work that law enforcement is doing, whether it is city, state, or federal agents.” She further accused Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey of inciting violence against ICE agents and of creating the conditions for the fatal shooting. Demuth also criticized Walz for not cooperating with ICE.
When Trump threatened he would invoke the Insurrection Act to stop ICE protests in Minnesota, Demuth refused to say whether or not she supported the action, and only stated, “we need peace in Minnesota.” However, the U.S. Supreme Court previously ruled Trump did not have the authority to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago in December 2025.
The Trump administration faced repeated legal challenges for overstepping its authority in deploying federal forces without the consent of governors and mayors across several American cities. In January 2026, Minnesota and Illinois sued the Trump administration over their deployment of federal agents to the Twin Cities and Chicago for immigration operations, arguing the unprecedented deployment of federal officers was a “federal invasion” and unconstitutional violation of the Tenth Amendment.
January 2026: Reacting To Footage Of ICE Officers Shooting And Killing Renee Good, Demuth Said “We Have To Respect The Work That Law Enforcement Is Doing, Whether It Is City, State Or Federal Agents,” And Called For Top State Leaders To “Not Incite Violence Anymore.” According to Newsmax, “Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, told Newsmax on Friday that recent anti-immigration enforcement protests and rhetoric in her state risk escalating into violence. Demuth reacted on ‘Newsline’ after being shown newly released footage of a fatal shooting by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer of a motorist who allegedly tried to strike him with her vehicle. […] Federal authorities said the woman who was shot, Renee Good, 37, attempted to flee and used her vehicle in a manner that placed officers at risk, prompting the use of deadly force. Demuth, who is running for governor this year, said the footage, posted Friday on X by the Department of Homeland Security, underscored the need for elected officials to clearly support law enforcement at all levels. ‘We have to respect the work that law enforcement is doing, whether it is city, state, or federal agents. That is a stance that I take,’ she said. ‘That is my expectation from the top leaders in our state, that they would calm things down, allow people to peacefully protest and not incite violence anymore in our state.’” [Newsmax, 1/9/26]
Demuth Accused Walz And Minneapolis Mayor Frey Of Inciting Violence Against ICE Agents Since They Called ICE The “Gestapo,” Saying They Created The Conditions For The Killing Of Renee Good. According to The Minnesota Star Tribune, “Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, also a GOP candidate for governor, criticized Democratic politicians for creating the conditions for the fatal ICE shooting. […] ‘I expect the top leaders of our state — that’s Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey — to not incite violence but come out against it instead of calling ICE agents the ‘Gestapo,’ ‘ Demuth said. ‘That’s poor leadership from the very top. Cooler heads have to prevail.’” [Minnesota Star Tribune, 1/11/26]
Demuth Called For Walz To Cooperate With Federal Requests “To Hold Criminals That Are Here Illegally That Are Already In Our Jails […] So That They Can Be Detained By ICE In An Orderly And Safe Manner.” According to FOX 9, “Demuth issued the following statement on Thursday. ‘Gov. Walz says he wants to turn the temperature down. The solution is simple: Minnesota should be honoring requests by the federal government to hold criminals that are here illegally that are already in our jails, rather than release them onto our streets, so that they can be detained by ICE in an orderly and safe manner,’ said Demuth. Demuth criticized Gov. Walz for allegedly inciting unrest against federal law enforcement officers during a primetime address. She emphasized the importance of working with federal partners to ensure community safety.” [FOX 9, 1/15/26]
Demuth Said Walz’s Statement In Response To ICE Operations In Minnesota Was “Tired Talking Points To Appease Activists Who Want To Prevent Deportation Of Even The Most Heinous Criminals.” According to WJON News, “Minnesota Speaker of the House and gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth issued the following statement in response to a brief address Gov. Tim Walz delivered on federal ICE operations in Minnesota. ‘Gov. Walz could have spent tonight coordinating with ICE to honor detainers and keep criminals off our streets,’ Demuth said. ‘Instead, he chose to go on TV and repeat tired talking points to appease activists who want to prevent deportation of even the most heinous criminals. Minnesota deserves better.’” [WJON News, 1/15/26]
January 16, 2026: Demuth Refused To Answer If She Supported Trump Invoking The Insurrection Act To Stop ICE Protests In Minnesota, Instead Responding, “We Need Peace In Minnesota.” According to WCCO News, “WCCO Radio's Chad Hartman tried repeatedly to get Demuth to respond on the record to what's happening in Minnesota. ‘Do you want the president to invoke the Insurrection Act,’ asked Hartman. ‘I think that's that's an important question to get you on the record.’ ‘You know, I don't know, getting me on the record or not, what I will say is we need peace in Minnesota here,’ Demuth responded, and would not say if she supports sending military personnel into Minnesota to stop the protests.” [WCCO News, 1/16/26]
January 15, 2026: Trump Threatened To Invoke The Insurrection Act To Deploy Military Forces In Minnesota Due To Protests Over The Killing Of Renee Good. According to Reuters, “U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces in Minnesota after days of angry protests over a surge in immigration agents on the streets of Minneapolis. Confrontations between residents and federal officers have become increasingly tense after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a U.S. citizen, Renee Good, in a car eight days ago in Minneapolis, and the protests have spread to other cities.” [Reuters, 1/16/26]
December 2025: The U.S. Supreme Court Ruled Trump Did Not Have The Authority To Send National Guard Troops To Chicago For Domestic Law Enforcement, Prompting Trump To Withdraw National Guard Troops From Several U.S. Cities. According to BBC, “US President Donald Trump has said he is withdrawing National Guard troops from several US cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, after a Supreme Court ruling last week undermined his authority to use troops for policing. ‘We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social on New Year's Eve. Earlier on Tuesday, the Trump administration withdrew its legal attempts to keep control of troops deployed in LA. Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump could not use troops in Chicago for domestic law enforcement. […] The Supreme Court ruled last week in Trump v Illinois that the president did not have the authority to send troops into Chicago.” [BBC, 12/31/25]
In Announcing His Withdrawal Of National Guard Troops In Several Cities After The U.S. Supreme Court Ruled He Could Not Deploy Troops Into Chicago Over Illinois Officials’ Objections, Trump “Suggested His Administration Would Not Hesitate To Deploy Troops In The Future.” According to the New York Times, “President Trump said on Wednesday that he would abandon, for now, efforts to deploy the National Guard in Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. The decision comes after the Supreme Court ruled last week that Mr. Trump could not deploy troops in the Chicago area over the objections of Illinois officials. The president’s announcement made no mention of the ruling, but he suggested his administration would not hesitate to deploy troops in the future. ‘We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again — Only a question of time,’ he wrote on Truth Social.” [New York Times, 12/31/25]
2025: The Trump Administration Faced Several Legal Challenges Over His Authority To Deploy National Guard Troops After He Deployed Federal Forces To Democratic-Run Cities, Which Critics Claimed Was An “Authoritarian” Overreach. According to BBC, “Trump's decision to order the deployment of National Guard troops to Democratic-run cities set off a series of legal cases challenging his authority to do so. The troops are normally under the authority of state governors. […] Trump has said the troops are needed to enforce the law and crack down on crime and illegal immigration. Critics deny that the troops are necessary, and accuse Trump of attempting an ‘authoritarian’ crackdown, which threatens democracy.” [BBC, 12/31/25]
January 2026: Minnesota And Illinois Sued The Trump Administration Over The Deployment Of Federal Forces, Arguing They Were Violating The Tenth Amendment, Which Protected State Sovereignty. According to Politico, “The state of Minnesota and the municipal governments of Minneapolis and St. Paul filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to block the Department of Homeland Security from executing a planned surge of federal immigration officers to the Twin Cities. […] Earlier on Monday, Illinois officials filed a similar lawsuit seeking to block the Trump administration from conducting immigration enforcement in the state. Immigration agents have been conducting large-scale enforcement actions in Chicago for months. Both lawsuits argued the Trump administration is violating the Tenth Amendment, which protects the sovereignty of states. In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin criticized the legal argument used by both states.” [Politico, 1/12/26]
January 2026: The State Of Minnesota And The Twin Cities Sued The Trump Administration, Alleging An “Unprecedented Federal Immigration Operation In The State Is ‘A Federal Invasion.’” According to CNN, “The state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities are suing the Trump administration, arguing the unprecedented federal immigration operation in the state is ‘a federal invasion,’ and seeking a court order halting the crackdown, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.” [CNN, 1/12/26]
January 2026: The State Of Illinois And The City Of Chicago Sued The Trump Administration, Claiming The Department Of Homeland Security “Terrorized Residents In ‘Organized Bombardment.’” According to CNN, “The suit was filed shortly after Illinois and the city of Chicago also sued the Trump administration, alleging the Department of Homeland Security has terrorized residents in ‘organized bombardment.’ Both suits argue the federal government is violating the Tenth Amendment.” [CNN, 1/12/26]