The Take: Minnesota, ICE and the makings of a US civil war
A 2024 simulation found US civil war could be triggered by clashes between state and federal law enforcement.
![A woman holds a placard with an upside down American flag as mourners gather at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. [Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AFP__20260125__93XX68N__v4__HighRes__ProtestsAfterUsImmigrationOfficerKillsWomanInMi-1769448078.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
United States federal immigration raids continue in Minnesota, and the operation has set the stage for a standoff between state officials and the federal government. Governor Tim Walz has readied Minnesota’s National Guard, while the Pentagon has ordered troops to be on standby. A 2024 University of Pennsylvania simulation warned that similar state-federal standoffs could escalate into broader armed conflict.
In this episode:
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- Claire Finkelstein (@COFinkelstein), Center for Ethics and Rule of Law, University of Pennsylvania
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li and Melanie Marich, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat and our guest host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang.
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