On January 10, 2026, conservative commentator and podcast host Megyn Kelly shared a CNN news clip on X highlighting escalating tensions during anti-ICE demonstrations in Minneapolis. The tweet included the statement: “The National Guard needs to get in there and protect these officers.”
The embedded video footage, captured by CNN on the scene, shows correspondent Omar Jimenez reporting live from downtown Minneapolis around 10:07 PM CT. The broadcast is labeled as “ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS RALLY IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR THIRD NIGHT,” with the scene depicting a nighttime crowd gathered amid urban buildings, some holding signs, and a charged atmosphere with visible protests and media presence.
This commentary from Kelly comes amid heightened unrest in the city following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026, during a federal immigration enforcement operation. The incident, part of a large-scale deployment of ICE agents to Minnesota, has sparked widespread outrage and multiple nights of demonstrations demanding accountability and an end to the operations.
Protests have continued for several days, including large rallies at locations such as Powderhorn Park and marches through neighborhoods, with crowds chanting slogans like “Abolish ICE” and calling for ICE to leave Minnesota. By January 9 and 10, demonstrations entered their third and fourth nights, with some reports of property damage, arrests (including around 30 people cited on Friday evening), and law enforcement declaring unlawful assemblies in certain areas, such as outside downtown hotels where protesters gathered.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has authorized the state’s National Guard to be staged and ready to support local law enforcement if needed to maintain public safety and allow for peaceful demonstrations. The deployment of state troopers in riot gear has already been reported in response to crowds near federal buildings and hotels.
Kelly’s call for National Guard intervention specifically to protect officers aligns with her broader commentary on the protests, emphasizing the need to safeguard law enforcement amid what she describes as interference with federal operations. The tweet reflects the polarized reactions to the ongoing events, as protests have spread nationally with over 1,000 planned actions across the U.S. in solidarity against the immigration crackdown.
