WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to once again federalize Washington, D.C.'s police force, hinting at action in response to Mayor Muriel Bowser's refusal to engage with immigration enforcement agencies.
Trump’s emergency order, which temporarily placed the local police under federal control, expired last week. Prior to the expiration, Bowser announced that D.C. would not collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), although she mentioned that the city would coordinate with other federal bodies.
Earlier this morning, Trump claimed on social media that his past intervention had reduced crime in D.C. — a statement that Bowser supports, even though existing data shows that the crime rate was already declining before the administration's surge in federal law enforcement.
Trump stated that if the lack of cooperation with immigration enforcement continues, he might escalate the situation by declaring a National Emergency and potentially federalizing the police again.
The mayor's office and the White House declined to comment on the situation. It's unclear if Trump plans to follow through with his threat or if he has considered extending the previous emergency order, which had lapsed on September 11.
Bowser recently established guidelines around local police operations concerning collaborations with multiple federal agencies, explicitly omitting ICE, stating, “Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does.” She reinforced that this stance would remain even after the emergency order's conclusion.
During this period, data showed that over 40% of arrests made were immigration-related, reflecting the Trump administration's commitment to stringent immigration policies while trying to combat crime in the capital.
With Congress reviewing several bills that could impose further limitations on the D.C. government’s authority, including juvenile justice reform, the dynamics of local governance and federal oversight continue to evolve.
The D.C. district has limited self-governance under a home rule framework established in 1973, but significant federal influence persists over its budget and legislative decisions.
