Trump Threatens Federalization of DC Police Amid ICE Dispute

President Donald Trump has threatened to federalize the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department again and declare a national emergency if the city’s police do not resume cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This follows the expiration of a 30-day federal takeover in August, during which National Guard troops were deployed and crime reportedly dropped significantly, leading Trump to claim the city became one of the safest in the world with a booming economy. However, Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has opposed using the police for immigration enforcement, citing concerns about racial profiling and the fear it caused residents, and has stated that MPD will no longer cooperate with ICE following the federal takeover's end. Trump accused Bowser of yielding to pressure from what he calls "Radical Left Democrats" and warned that without federal intervention, crime would surge again. While Bowser acknowledges the federal presence supporting MPD's public safety mission, she maintains that immigration enforcement is not the police department’s role. Trump emphasized his commitment to protect the city and its businesses, promising to act if necessary to prevent a return to high crime levels.