President Trump threatened Monday to call for a national emergency and exercise federal authority in the District of Columbia for the city government’s failure to enforce immigration laws. Here’s what you need to know about the escalating conflict between Trump and D.C. leadership:
The presidential threat
Trump considers emergency declaration over D.C. immigration enforcement:
- President blamed “radical left Democrats” for pressuring Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser to halt Metropolitan Police Department’s cooperation with federal agents
- Immigration crackdown cooperation ended after 30-day emergency surge of federal forces concluded last week
- “Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has presided over this violent criminal takeover of our Capital for years, has informed the Federal Government that the Metropolitan Police Department will no longer cooperate with ICE,” Trump posted early Monday on Truth Social
- “If I allowed this to happen, crime would come roaring back,” he posted
The mayor’s policy reversal
Bowser ends police cooperation with immigration enforcement:
- Bowser had said earlier this month that Metropolitan Police would assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Trump federalized D.C. police for crime crackdown
- But just before emergency expired on Sept. 10, Bowser said Metropolitan Police would no longer participate in effort
- “Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does, and with the end of the emergency, it won’t be what MPD does in the future,” the mayor said Sept. 2
- Washington Times reached out to mayor’s office for comment
The arrest statistics
Immigration enforcement comprised significant portion of federal operation:
- Immigration-related arrests accounted for 40% of 2,310 people taken into custody during president’s federal operation in District
- That included several alleged members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and Salvadoran gang MS-13
- Officials have not provided further information on who suspected gang members are and what kinds of criminal activities they were involved in while in District
- Federal operation targeted both general crime and immigration violations
The crime reduction results
Federal surge produced measurable public safety improvements:
- Augmented patrols by FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations did produce significant drops in crimes
- Between Aug. 11 and Sept. 10, MPD data showed there were seven fewer homicides year-over-year in District
- Robberies fell by nearly 60% in that time range and carjackings dropped by more than 70%
- Although there were slight increases in weapons assaults and sex abuse incidents during surge, violent crime overall declined by 40%
The local government response
D.C. officials dispute need for federal intervention:
- Bowser did create new operations center to advise federal authorities on District’s most pressing public safety issues, such as continuing to cut down on violence and taking guns off street
- Bowser and members of D.C. Council, which is made up almost entirely by Democrats, have repeatedly argued that Trump’s crime emergency was declared on false premise
- Local officials maintain violent crime already was at 30-year low before federal intervention
- D.C. leadership questions justification for emergency declaration
The data dispute
Trump challenges D.C. crime statistics reliability:
- Trump has countered by mentioning that Metropolitan Police Department is plagued by shoddy crime statistics
- President’s favorite example is suspension of MPD commander who is accused of fudging numbers to make city appear less dangerous
- Administration questions accuracy of local crime reporting that shows improvements
- Statistical disputes underpin broader disagreement about public safety conditions
The federal authority options
President has broad emergency powers for D.C. enforcement:
- President has broad latitude to declare national emergencies, with Trump exercising power to enact his policies along U.S. southern border, in global trade disputes and to expedite preferred energy production methods
- President also has authority to deploy D.C. National Guard, which is not under command of mayor
- Federal district status gives president unique authorities over D.C. governance
- Trump previously used emergency powers across multiple policy areas
Read more:
• Donald Trump threatens emergency in D.C. over lack of immigration enforcement
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
