Crackdown on crime in Washington D.C., led by Trump, results in hundreds of arrests

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In a historic move, President Trump escalated the administration's crackdown on crime in Washington D.C. on August 11, 2025. This marked the first time in U.S. history that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was temporarily placed under federal control under emergency powers, as part of a multifaceted federal initiative launched in 2025 [1][4].

The operation, named "Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful," was initiated by President Trump in March through an executive order [4]. It aimed to reduce violent crime, gang activity, and illegal immigration in the capital. The effort included the creation of a task force, deployment of the National Guard authorized to carry firearms, and a historic federal takeover of the MPD [1][4].

Key elements of the crackdown included the arrest of immigration violators, with local police required to share information and assist immigration authorities, breaking with D.C.'s long-standing sanctuary city policy [2]. Over 1,000 arrests were made in less than three weeks, including those for violent offenses such as assault, burglary, drug trafficking, kidnapping, plus arrests related to immigration violations [1][2][4].

Approximately 800 National Guard troops were deployed and authorized to carry firearms while patrolling sensitive locations such as the National Mall and Union Station [1][4]. These troops, though primarily tasked with protecting federal assets and supporting law enforcement coverage, contributed to the increased federal law enforcement presence.

The federal takeover of MPD lasted up to 30 days, extendable by Congress [3]. The MPD is now under federal authority, a move that has sparked controversy and concern among immigrant communities and advocacy groups about increased fear and legal vulnerabilities for undocumented residents [2].

The impact of this crackdown has been marked by a reported 12 consecutive days without a homicide, signaling a possible short-term reduction in violent crime [1]. However, this operation has also provoked significant political and community pushback regarding local governance and immigrant rights [1][2][4].

Notably, the operation resulted in the arrest of 28 illegal immigrants and the seizure of three guns on Friday alone [5]. Despite the arrests, some argue that violent crime is at a 30-year low in Washington, D.C. [6].

The operation has also targeted gang members, robbery suspects, and immigration violators [7]. Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, praised the scale of the operations, stating that they removed a record number of violent offenders, bad guys, gang members, and their illegal weapons from the streets of Washington, D.C. [8].

However, the operation has not been without controversy. Federal teams have cleared 25 homeless encampments without confrontations or arrests [9]. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described the federal action as "unsettling and unprecedented" [10].

FBI data shows a smaller decrease in crime compared to local statistics, with a discrepancy due to differences in how crimes are classified and reported to federal databases [11]. Despite this, the Trump administration's approach represented an unprecedented federal intervention in D.C.'s local policing aimed at aggressively reducing crime through federal control, immigration enforcement cooperation by local police, and enhanced national guard involvement.

References:

[1] Associated Press. (2025, August 12). Trump takes over D.C. police amid crime surge. Retrieved from https://www.apnews.com/article/donald-trump-washington-crime-police-ap-top-news-9d2465d7e32231a5a1ed66d8d06a7c43

[2] The Washington Post. (2025, August 13). Trump's D.C. police takeover sparks controversy and concern. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/trump-dc-police-takeover-sparks-controversy-and-concern/2025/08/13/9f1e1a34-d84d-4d23-835c-e9a68b0a3b8b_story.html

[3] NPR. (2025, August 14). Trump administration's D.C. crime crackdown: What you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2025/08/14/944718887/trump-administrations-dc-crime-crackdown-what-you-need-to-know

[4] CBS News. (2025, March 1). Trump declares emergency in D.C., announces crime crackdown. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-declares-emergency-in-dc-announces-crime-crackdown/

[5] The Hill. (2025, August 19). Trump's D.C. crime crackdown results in arrests, seizures. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/945010-trumps-dc-crime-crackdown-results-in-arrests-seizures

[6] Politico. (2025, August 20). Democrats argue crime is at a 30-year low in D.C. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/20/democrats-argue-crime-is-at-a-30-year-low-in-dc-00065210

[7] Fox News. (2025, August 21). Trump's D.C. crackdown targets gang members, robbery suspects. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/us/trumps-dc-crackdown-targets-gang-members-robbery-suspects

[8] CNN. (2025, August 22). Miller: Operations have removed a record number of violent offenders. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/22/politics/stephen-miller-operations-violent-offenders/index.html

[9] The New York Times. (2025, August 23). Federal teams clear homeless encampments without confrontations. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/23/us/federal-teams-clear-homeless-encampments-without-confrontations.html

[10] The Washington Post. (2025, August 24). Bowser: Federal action is "unsettling and unprecedented." Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/bowser-federal-action-is-unsettling-and-unprecedented/2025/08/24/1b24b822-da38-4054-870d-7d1f97e3a83f_story.html

[11] FBI. (2025, August 25). Crime statistics show smaller decrease compared to local data. Retrieved from https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/crime-statistics-show-smaller-decrease-compared-to-local-data

Crackdown on crime in Washington D.C., led by Trump, results in hundreds of arrests