Expanding his scrutiny to additional Democrat-governed urban areas, Trump declares his intent on investigating crimes in those cities.
In recent years, the cities of Oakland, California, and Chicago, Illinois, have found themselves at the centre of discussions surrounding federal interventions in local policing. While both cities have faced unique challenges, their experiences offer valuable insights into the nature and impact of federal involvement in urban crime prevention.
Oakland, California, has a history of federal intervention rooted in longstanding issues of police misconduct. The Oakland Police Department (OPD) faced major scandals, such as the "Riders" case in the early 2000s, which involved widespread corruption and abuses by officers. This led to Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations and consent decrees designed to enforce reforms in OPD practices, oversight, and community relationship-building to curb misconduct and improve accountability [4].
Chicago, Illinois, has also seen federal involvement, primarily through DOJ investigations targeting systemic issues like excessive force, civil rights violations, and corruption within the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Federal consent decrees and court oversight have aimed to mandate reforms, including enhanced training, revised use-of-force policies, and strengthened civilian oversight mechanisms [5].
Recently, under the Trump administration in 2025, there was a proposal and limited action to deploy federal forces like the National Guard and federal law enforcement in Washington, D.C. These proposals were met with strong opposition from local leaders, including the mayors of Oakland and Chicago, who argued such moves threatened local autonomy and civil liberties. They noted that crime was declining in their jurisdictions [1][2][3].
Currently, both Oakland and Chicago are experiencing a decrease in violent crime. In Oakland, vehicle theft has decreased by 45%, and violent crime has dropped by about 28% compared to last year. In Chicago, violent crime, particularly gun violence, is down nearly 40% compared to the same time last year, according to recent police data.
Despite these positive trends, some local leaders in Chicago are urging Washington to reinvest in proven solutions for violence intervention. Meanwhile, Oakland's newly-elected mayor, Barbara Lee, was in Congress during Trump's first term and has spoken out against President Trump's comments about Oakland, stating that they are inaccurate and offensive.
The mayors of the cities Trump mentioned, including Oakland and Chicago, have been in contact with each other, expressing shared concerns over potential federal interventions. Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago has been particularly vocal, stating that Trump's threats to send in the National Guard are unconstitutional and illegal. Mayor Lee of Oakland suggests that Trump's motives in mentioning crime in certain cities are fearmongering and diversionary.
However, it's important to note that federal interventions to date have mostly taken the form of oversight and reform mandates through legal mechanisms rather than outright federal takeover of local police forces, except in the exceptional case of D.C. Attempts to expand such interventions face legal, political, and constitutional hurdles.
References:
- ABC News
- NPR
- The Guardian
- The Trace
- Chicago Sun-Times
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