Trump's Threat to Federalize D.C. Police Amid Immigration Dispute

Tue Oct 21 2025 05:01:43 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

President Trump threatens to federalize Washington D.C.'s police force again following the city's refusal to cooperate with immigration authorities. This comes as crime rates show a decrease.

President Trump announced on social media that he might federalize Washington D.C.'s police over the mayor's refusal to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The federal intervention earlier this month was stated to have improved crime, but data suggests crime rates were already dropping before the federal presence. Mayor Bowser reaffirmed that immigration enforcement does not fall under the local police's responsibilities, intensifying the ongoing debate on local autonomy versus federal oversight.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to once again federalize Washington, D.C.'s police force due to Mayor Muriel Bowser's stated refusal to cooperate with immigration enforcement authorities.

The emergency order that temporarily placed the city's police under federal control recently expired. This followed Bowser's announcement that the city would not cooperate with Immigration, Customs and Enforcement on their operations in the capital.

In a social media post, Trump claimed that his federal intervention had led to a decrease in crime, a statement supported by Bowser. However, data indicates that crime was already declining prior to the surge of law enforcement.

Trump warned that crime could rise again if immigration cooperation ceases, threatening to call a national emergency to federalize the police if necessary.

Bowser's office declined to comment, and the White House did not confirm if Trump would act on his threat.

As the House considers bills that affect D.C.'s autonomy, including stricter criminal laws, the tension between local governance and federal oversight continues. The limited home rule agreement of 1973 still allows significant federal control over D.C. affairs, particularly in budget approval and law enactments.