Washington
One week after the Trump administration seized control of Washington, DC’s police force, the city has seen a modest decline in reported crime but a dramatic surge in immigration arrests, according to a CNN analysis of government data.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 11 wresting control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), citing concerns over violent crime. Since then, federal agencies including the FBI, National Guard, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been deployed alongside local officers.
Public MPD data show that in the week beginning August 12, property crime fell by 19% and violent crime by 17% compared to the previous week. Certain categories saw steeper drops — robberies and car break-ins were down more than 40%. Yet other crimes rose, including burglaries (up 6%) and assaults with a dangerous weapon (up 14%). Two murders have been reported since Trump’s order, consistent with recent weekly averages, though none since August 13.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson hailed the numbers as “life-changing,” insisting the operation’s priority was removing violent offenders “regardless of immigration status.” Trump himself went further, calling the results a public safety “miracle” and declaring, “DC was a hellhole, and now it’s safe.”
But critics question the president’s claims. MPD data show other recent stretches — including in February, April, and May — when the city also recorded no homicides for a week or longer. So far in 2025, DC has logged at least 89 murders, a figure that may rise as cases are updated.
More contentious than the crime statistics has been immigration enforcement. Federal officials confirmed that since August 7, ICE has arrested about 300 people in DC without legal status — more than ten times the agency’s normal weekly average. Historically, ICE conducted about 12 arrests per week in the city, according to the Deportation Data Project at UC Berkeley.
Law enforcement officials say ICE agents now shadow MPD officers, intervening whenever a traffic stop or street encounter reveals immigration violations. Critics, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, argue this exposes the true motive of the federal intervention. “The attorney general’s order almost exclusively focused on immigration enforcement and homeless encampment enforcement,” Bowser told reporters. “I’ll let you draw your own conclusion.”
The DC attorney general has filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Pam Bondi’s directive ordering police to disregard the city’s sanctuary laws. During a recent hearing, however, a federal judge signaled that Trump’s authority under the Home Rule Act likely permits such cooperation with ICE.
Residents have expressed unease with the heavy federal presence. While some noted fewer uniformed agents on foot patrol this week, many described a sense of “overkill” as unmarked federal vehicles roamed city streets. Sporadic protests have broken out, with crowds at times confronting ICE agents and chanting for them to leave.
Polling underscores local opposition. A Washington Post–Schar School survey found roughly 80% of DC residents disapprove of Trump’s police takeover and the deployment of federal forces. Administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have dismissed the findings, claiming without evidence that the crackdown enjoys strong public support.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has opened an investigation into allegations that MPD commanders manipulated crime figures before Trump’s intervention, downgrading certain offenses to present lower crime rates. One commander has been placed on leave.
Under the Home Rule Act, Trump’s direct authority over MPD expires after 30 days, but the White House has not said whether federal forces will withdraw. The president suggested they could remain indefinitely: “I can keep them there as long as I want.”
For now, the takeover has reduced certain crimes but inflamed tensions over immigration enforcement — leaving DC residents caught between competing narratives of safety and control.
-Peace News Desk