The Army has ordered soldiers to prepare for deployment in the event of an escalation of violence, according to anonymous sources.
The information comes after President Donald Trump earlier this week threatened to invoke the old Insurrection Act to quell protests against the immigration enforcement agency ICE, which shot two people in Minnesota's largest city, Minneapolis, in a short period of time - one of them fatally.
The White House responds that it is typical for the Pentagon to "be prepared for any decisions the president may or may not make," writes The Washington Post.
The Insurrection Act of 1807 gives an American president the power to deploy the military to suppress rebellions or maintain law and order under certain circumstances.
Typically, invoking the law is considered a last resort when the police alone cannot handle civil unrest.
