President Donald Trump on Monday warned that he could declare a national emergency in Washington, D.C., following Mayor Muriel Bowser’s decision to end police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Trump had earlier declared a crime emergency in the capital, leading to a 30-day federal takeover beginning on August 11. That period included deployment of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to curb crime. With the 30 days now over, Trump said Bowser informed his administration that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) would stop working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a move he strongly opposes.
“The Federal Government, under my auspices as President of the United States of America, has stepped into the complete criminal mess that was Washington, D.C., our Nation’s Capital,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Because of this, D.C. has gone from one of the most dangerous and murder ridden cities in the U.S.A., and even around the world, to one of the safest, in just a few weeks.”
According to Trump, crime would surge if MPD withdraws from ICE cooperation, and he vowed to federalize the police again if necessary. “To the people and businesses of Washington, D.C., DON’T WORRY, I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary,” he said.
Last week, Bowser clarified that MPD’s public safety mission remains intact but will no longer support ICE following the expiration of the emergency order. “The presidential declaration compels the mayor to provide MPD services as requested by the president during the emergency for federal purposes. Immigration enforcement is such a service,” she explained. “Immigration enforcement is not what MPD does. And with the end of the emergency, it won’t be what MPD does in the future.”
Earlier this month, Bowser signed an executive order creating the “Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center” (SBEOC) to oversee D.C.’s response to Trump’s federal task force. The SBEOC will continue coordinating with federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals Service and the DEA, but ICE is excluded.
Since the federal takeover began, more than 2,000 arrests have been made across the capital region, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. The National Guard has also extended its encampment in Washington through November 30. Even Bowser acknowledged late last month that crime had dropped after Guard troops were deployed and federal control of MPD began, according to the Epoch Times.
