February 1, 2026
Trump orders DHS not to intervene in Democrat city protests unless they ask for help
Trump tells DHS not to intervene in "Democrat Cities" protests unless they ask, after federal agents killed two Americans
On Feb. 1, 2026, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he instructed DHS Secretary 
Kristi Noem that "under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help."
The statement came amid mounting criticism of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, where federal agents had fatally shot two U.S. citizens—Renée Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24—during Operation Metro Surge. Thousands of people took to the streets across the country to protest federal immigration enforcement.
Trump framed the protests as a partisan issue, specifically targeting "Democrat Cities" rather than addressing the underlying grievances about federal agent conduct that killed two American citizens. The federal government itself triggered the protests by deploying nearly 3,000 armed agents to Minneapolis.
Trump added that ICE and Border Patrol would "guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists." He warned that protesters who "do anything bad" to officers "will have to suffer" and "will get taken care of in at least an equal way."
The statement echoes Trump's 2020 approach to Portland protests, treating dissent as a blue-state management failure rather than addressing the federal actions that triggered it. By conditioning federal help on a city's political leadership asking for it, the order raises questions about whether federal resources serve all Americans equally.
The order creates a selective enforcement posture: federal agents will continue operating in Democratic-led cities for immigration enforcement (which triggered the protests), but won't help those same cities manage the protests their operations caused unless city leaders request it.
The implicit threat—that protesters who harm officers "will get taken care of"—suggests retaliatory federal force while simultaneously declaring the federal government won't help cities manage protests. This frames federal involvement as punishment, not assistance.
Operation Metro Surge deployed over 2,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents to Minneapolis starting Jan. 6, 2026—described by DHS as the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history. The operation resulted in more than 2,500 arrests but also triggered the deaths of two American citizens and nationwide protests.
House Minority Leader 
Hakeem Jeffries led an impeachment effort against Noem that garnered 182 Democratic cosponsors (85% of the Democratic caucus). A Data for Progress poll found 58% of Americans support removing Noem from DHS, with only 34% favoring keeping her.
The Justice Department opened investigations into Minnesota Governor 
Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly impeding federal immigration enforcement through their public statements criticizing the operation. On Jan. 15, Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress protests in Minnesota.
People, bills, and sources
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Kristi Noem
Secretary of Homeland Security
Hakeem Jeffries
House Minority Leader
Tim Walz
Governor of Minnesota
Jacob Frey
Mayor of Minneapolis
Renée Good
U.S. Citizen killed by ICE
Alex Pretti
U.S. Citizen / VA Nurse killed by Border Patrol
Jonathan Ross
ICE Agent
What you can do
1
civic action
Contact your U.S. representative about selective federal assistance based on political affiliation
Congress can pass legislation requiring federal agencies to provide assistance to all jurisdictions equally, regardless of political affiliation, or can conduct oversight hearings on selective enforcement.
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I live in [CITY, STATE]. I'm calling about President Trump's Feb. 1 directive refusing DHS assistance to "Democrat Cities" during protests unless they ask for help. The protests were sparked by federal agents killing two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. I believe federal resources should serve all Americans equally, not be conditioned on a city's political leadership. I'm asking [Representative NAME] to [support/oppose] legislation requiring equal federal assistance regardless of local political affiliation. Can you tell me the Representative's position on this issue?
2
civic action
Document incidents of federal overreach during protests and report to civil rights organizations
Civil rights organizations track patterns of First Amendment violations during protests and can bring legal challenges when federal agents violate constitutional rights to free speech and assembly.
3
civic action
Contact your city council or mayor about local policies on federal agent cooperation
City leaders decide whether to request federal assistance during protests. Understanding your city's policy helps you know what level of federal involvement to expect and whether local leaders will invite it.
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I live in [DISTRICT/WARD]. I'm calling about President Trump's directive refusing federal help during protests unless cities ask for it. Given that federal immigration operations triggered protests after killing two U.S. citizens, I want to know what the city's policy is on requesting federal assistance during protests. Will the city request federal help if protests escalate? What safeguards exist to prevent federal overreach?
4
civic action
Contact Congress about impeachment proceedings against DHS Secretary Noem
Congress has the constitutional power to impeach Cabinet officials for "high crimes and misdemeanors." With 182 Democratic lawmakers backing impeachment articles, contacting your representative helps them gauge constituent support for accountability.
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I live in [CITY, STATE]. I'm calling about the impeachment effort against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has 182 cosponsors for impeachment articles. I believe [Representative NAME] should [support/oppose] these impeachment proceedings. Can you tell me the Representative's position?
5
civic action
Support ICE Watch programs that document federal agent conduct
Following the two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, thousands of "ICE watchers" began documenting federal agent interactions with their phones. Civil rights organizations use this documentation to identify patterns of excessive force and constitutional violations during immigration enforcement operations.