WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to once again federalize Washington, D.C.’s police force, in what he suggested could come in response to the city’s mayor’s stated refusal to cooperate with immigration enforcement.
Earlier, she had said the city would work with other federal agencies even after the emergency order expired.
Trump said crime could increase if cooperation on immigration enforcement ceases, in which case he would “call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!
Speaking September 10 at a ribbon cutting ceremony, the mayor said “immigration enforcement is not what MPD does,” referring to the local police department.
Federal law enforcement agencies and National Guard units from D.C. and eight states are continuing operations in the city.
WASHINGTON (AP) — On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to federalize Washington, D.C., once more. ‘s police force, in what he implied might be a reaction to the mayor of the city’s declared anti-immigration stance.
The local police force was placed under Trump’s emergency order, which ended last week. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared just hours before it passed that the city would not assist Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement in their ongoing activities in the nation’s capital. She had earlier stated that even after the emergency order ended, the city would continue to collaborate with other federal agencies.
On Monday morning, Trump stated his intervention into the D.C in a social media post. Bowser has supported the claim that the city’s law enforcement had reduced crime, but statistics indicate that crime in Washington was already declining prior to the law enforcement uptick.
Trump promised to “call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!” if cooperation on immigration enforcement stopped, citing the potential for an increase in crime.
There was no response from the mayor’s office.
The White House did not confirm whether Trump would carry out his threat. Additionally, it didn’t specify if the president had thought about attempting to extend the previous order that placed federal control over the city’s police force. Congress did not renew the order, so it expired on September 11.
Speaking later Monday in the Oval Office, where he signed an order deploying the National Guard to Memphis, Trump stated that they would federalize the Washington police force if necessary, but that they no longer need to do so because it is in such excellent condition. “.”.
On September 2, Bowser signed an order outlining the terms of the local police’s cooperation with the federal law enforcement agencies that are still operating in the city. Numerous federal agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Secret Service, and others, were listed in the order as cooperating with the MPD and local police. ICE wasn’t present.
In reference to the local police force, the mayor stated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 10 that “immigration enforcement is not what MPD does.”. “It won’t be what MPD does in the future,” she continued, after the emergency order expires. “.”.
Over 40% of arrests during the emergency period were related to immigration, according to data analyzed by the Associated Press. This underscores the Trump administration’s continued implementation of strict immigration policies in an effort to combat crime in the nation’s capital.
Department of Defense National Guard units and federal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, eight states are still operating in the city. A lawsuit was filed by the district attorney general to protest the military’s presence in the city.
A group of retired four-star level officers and former civilian leaders offered their opinions on the case on Monday, pointing out the risks of presidents using the National Guard for law enforcement, which they claimed could raise “safety concerns for servicemembers and the public alike.”. Michael Hayden, the former director of the National Security Agency, was one of the officers who served in both the Republican and Democratic administrations.
Trump’s threat coincides with a number of D.C being considered by the House Rules Committee. -related bills, which would limit the district’s control over its sentencing policies and its power to choose judges, as well as reduce the age at which minors can be tried from 16 to 14 for some serious offenses.
On a party-line vote last week, the bills were approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Although a 1973 limited home rule agreement gives the district autonomy, federal political leaders still have considerable influence over local affairs, including approving the budget and laws passed by the DDOTC council.
