Individuals experiencing homelessness in Washington D.C. urged to relocate promptly, according to President Trump's statement.
In a move aimed at addressing crime in the nation's capital, former President Donald Trump has proposed a federal takeover of Washington D.C., with a focus on long-term control over the city's police force. This plan is part of Trump's broader efforts to make the city "crime-free."
Trump has already deployed National Guard troops under a public safety emergency to temporarily put the local police under federal control. However, this control is limited to 30 days, and Trump intends to seek Congressional approval for a long-term extension of federal authority over local law enforcement in Washington D.C.
The deployment of federal agents is primarily focused on high traffic areas and other known hotspots. About 450 federal law enforcement agents are already operating in D.C., making arrests, according to FOX 5 DC. Officials will be identified, in marked units, and highly visible.
Arrests made by federal law enforcement agents in D.C. include an individual detained for carrying a handgun without a license, a person driving on a suspended license, people riding dirt bikes in a park, and the seizure of three guns, including one that was stolen.
Trump's plan also includes requests for more federal funding for repairs to the city's streets and parks, as part of his efforts to improve public safety and infrastructure in D.C.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has not directly addressed Trump's claims of rising crime rates in the city, but has said Washington, D.C. is a "world-class city" with a AAA bond rating from Moody's and that violent crime is at a 30-year low. Bowser has reviewed the reported arrests and said they "sound like a typical MPD rundown of arrests that I review on a daily basis."
However, Bowser has expressed concern that deploying the National Guard would not be the most "efficient" use of their time. A bill to repeal the 1973 Home Rule Act, which would allow for a federal takeover of Washington, D.C., was introduced by Rep. Andrew Ogles, R-Tenn., but has yet to move forward.
Legal experts believe that if Trump were to order a federal takeover of the MPD, his claims about the city's crime rate would likely be challenged in court. It's not immediately clear where or how many agents were deployed.
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- Former President Donald Trump has suggested a federal takeover of Washington D.C. to combat crime, with an emphasis on long-term command over the city's police force.
- Trump, in an attempt to make D.C. "crime-free," has temporarily placed local police under federal control using National Guard troops.
- Arrests made by federal law enforcement agents include gun violations, driving offenses, illegal dirt bike riding, and gun seizures, including a stolen one.
- Trump's plan involves seeking Congressional approval for a long-term extension of federal authority over local law enforcement and requested funds for street and park repairs to enhance public safety.
- Mayor Muriel Bowser has not acknowledged rising crime rates but has said arrests made by federal agents "sound like a typical rundown," questioning the efficiency of deploying the National Guard.
- A bill to repeal the 1973 Home Rule Act, allowing for a federal takeover of Washington D.C., has been introduced, but progress is yet to be made.
- Legal experts expect claims about the city's crime rate to be challenged in court if a federal takeover of the MPD were to be ordered, and the exact number and distribution of deployed agents remains unclear.
