Trump vowed DC takeover multiple times on 2024 campaign trail: ‘He’s keeping his promise’
Though the move by the Trump administration this week to federalize the nation’s capital in the name of public safety has drawn controversy, previous comments by the president show the bold action was a direct campaign promise. Hundreds of National Guard troops and federal agents were deployed to deter crime and “beautify” the city after President Donald Trump federalized the Metropolitan Police Department on Monday. While coordination with the federal government came after former DOGE employee ‘Big Balls’ was violently beaten in Washington, D.C., the commanding step was promised on multiple occasions during Trump’s presidential campaign in 2024. “Americans overwhelmingly elected President Trump because of his commonsense policies that are hugely popular with the American public–including restoring law and order. Making DC Safe Again and stopping violent crime is something President Trump pledged to do and now he’s keeping his promise,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “Democrat politicians who oppose this move are suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome and it is just one of the many reasons why their approval rating is hitting record lows. Meanwhile, Americans from all backgrounds and communities can applaud efforts to stop violent crime.” ‘RADICAL’ DC OFFICIALS TREATED OFFICERS ‘LIKE CRAP,’ POLICE LEADER SAYS – 7 ATTACKS THAT LED TO TRUMP TAKEOVER Following the January 2024 murder of Mike Gill, a Republican who worked under the Obama and Trump administrations, in Washington, D.C., Trump posted on Truth Social noting the violence was unacceptable. “Wonderful and brilliant Mike Gill, a highly respected member of the Trump Administration, was ruthlessly and viciously shot in the head during a carjacking in Washington D.C.,” Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday morning. “His family and friends are devastated. The Federal Government must take over D.C.” Gill was shot in broad daylight on Jan. 29, 2024 while sitting in his car parked just a few blocks north of the National Mall. He was waiting to pick his wife up from work when an armed carjacker opened fire. He suffered a gunshot wound to the head and died three days later. At a campaign event in Las Vegas, Trump doubled down on the promise to restore law and order in the capital. “We’re going to federalize it,” he said. “We’re going to have the toughest law enforcement in the country.” Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich also weighed in on the topic following Gill’s death, calling on Congress to “take back control.” “Mike Gill’s death from attack by a carjacker on 14th street in downtown Washington while picking his wife up from work is one more example of why Congress needs to take back control of our national capital,” Gingrich wrote in an X post. I SUPPORT TRUMP TAKING CONTROL OF DC POLICE — THE CONSTITUTION IS ON HIS SIDE Mayor Muriel Bowser said violent crime in D.C. is at a 30-year low, but city data shows robberies and homicides spiked after the pandemic. D.C. records show gun violence jumped 460% downtown, while homicides rose up to 500% in neighborhoods like Southwest/Waterfront and H Street. Trump has 30 days of temporary emergency control of the capital under current law, and warned he could declare a national emergency to prolong it if Congress resists. “You can’t have 30 days,” he said during a news conference at the Kennedy Center. “We’re going to do this very quickly, but we’re going to want extensions. I don’t want to call a national emergency, but if I have to, I will.” The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Hundreds arrested as Trump’s Washington, DC, crime crackdown hits full stride
The Trump administration’s crackdown on violent crime in Washington, D.C., has already netted more than 240 arrests and taken 38 guns off the streets, a White House official told Fox News. The show of force has swept up gang members, robbery suspects and immigration violators. On Friday alone, 52 people were arrested, including 28 illegal immigrants, while three guns were seized. Federal teams also cleared 25 homeless encampments, and officials said those removals were carried out without confrontations or arrests. EXPERT FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEMS PUSHING ‘CHERRY-PICKED’ CRIME STATS TO RESIST TRUMP’S DC CRACKDOWN White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller hailed the scale of the operations and said the numbers are “breathtaking.” “We have seen a record number of violent offenders, bad guys, gang members and all kinds of threats to public safety removed off the streets as well as their illegal weapons that they’ve been using to terrorize the citizens of this city,” Miller told “Fox News Live.” “Additionally, we have seen over 70 homeless encampments that have scarred and disfigured the public streets of this city, dismantled and thrown away and the homeless cleared from those encampments. At the same time, we have the National Park Service going around and getting rid of the gang graffiti that has been left untouched by this city for decades.” The operation began quietly Aug. 7 with the launch of the “Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful” task force created by President Donald Trump in March through an executive order. He escalated it Aug. 11 by temporarily seizing federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under emergency powers in the Home Rule Act, the first such move in U.S. history. WOMAN GUNNED DOWN IN ‘SAFE’ DC NEIGHBORHOOD AS TRUMP LAUNCHES FEDERAL POLICE TAKEOVER The order puts the MPD under federal authority for up to 30 days, unless Congress extends it, and 800 National Guard troops were deployed. In all, 22 multi-agency teams with more than 1,800 personnel were deployed across all seven police districts as the president vowed to aggressively “take our capital back.” “We have a capital that’s very unsafe. … Something’s out of control. But we’re going to put it in control very quickly,” Trump said Monday. Other arrests included drug distribution, weapons violations and outstanding warrants. Police also detained suspects accused of fleeing law enforcement, reckless driving, assault with a dangerous weapon and kidnapping. The D.C. National Guard carried out roving patrols on foot and in vehicles around the National Mall and Union Station last night. While they remain armed, the officials stressed they are not making arrests, instead securing federal assets and providing cover for police. Trump began floating the idea of federalizing D.C. law enforcement after the brutal beating of a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee during an alleged attempted carjacking in Washington’s Logan Circle. He then moved to ramp up his crackdown on Monday, invoking the Home Rule Act. Democrats and local officials pushed back, noting MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office report violent crime is at a 30-year low, down 35% from 2023 to 2024. FBI data for the same period shows a much smaller decrease of around 9%, highlighting a substantial gap between local and federal statistics. The discrepancy stems from differences in how crimes are classified and reported to federal databases. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described the federal action as “unsettling and unprecedented,” while Democrats have introduced a joint resolution in an effort to put the brakes on the federal takeover of police.
First Lady Melania Trump’s ‘peace letter’ to Putin: ‘It is time’
EXCLUSIVE: First Lady Melania Trump wrote a “peace letter” to Russian President Vladimir Putin telling him “it is time” to protect children and future generations around the globe, Fox News Digital has learned. Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the “peace letter” the first lady penned to Putin, which President Trump hand-delivered to the Russian leader before their summit in Alaska, Fox News Digital has learned. TRUMP RATES PUTIN SUMMIT A ’10 OUT OF 10′ AND TOUTS ‘VERY GOOD PROGRESS’ TOWARD PEACE Immediately upon receiving the letter, Putin read it as the American and Russian delegations looked on. “Dear President Putin,” the first lady’s letter begins. “Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.” “As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation’s hope,” the letter continued. “As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few.” “Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all—so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded,” read the letter. “A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity—an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.” The first lady continued that “in today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them—a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future.” TRUMP REVEALS 10 STRIKING TAKEAWAYS FROM PUTIN SUMMIT IN HANNITY INTERVIEW “Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter,” the first lady wrote. “In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone—you serve humanity itself.” “Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today,” she wrote. “It is time.” Mrs. Trump’s “peace letter” was written ahead of her husband’s historic meeting with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, Friday. The high-stakes meeting was the first U.S.-Russia summit since June 2021, which was under former President Joe Biden’s administration and only eight months before Putin invaded Ukraine. Though Trump and Putin had not met in person in years prior to Friday, they have spoken on the phone numerous times this year to discuss an end to the Russia’s war with Ukraine. Following the meeting, President Trump, said the summit was “extremely productive,” but that the parties were “not there yet” on ending the war. “There were many, many points that we agreed on, most of them, I would say,” Trump told the press following the meeting. “A couple of big ones that we haven’t quite gotten there, but we’ve made some headway. So, there’s no deal until there’s a deal.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to travel to Washington D.C. to meet with President Trump on Monday. “On Monday, I will meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C., to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war. I am grateful for the invitation,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. Zelenskyy said Trump told him about the main points of his meeting with Putin, adding that he fully supports Trump’s proposal for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S.
Trump’s DHS touts massive number of illegal immigrants deported as Dems lash out at ICE
The Department of Homeland Security is touting new data showing that the nation’s illegal immigrant population has plummeted by 1.6 million people since January. The statistics, from the Center for Immigration Studies, indicate that self-deportations are driving the trend. The federal government has provided financial incentives for illegal immigrants to leave and has run advertisements telling them they can only apply to return if they leave voluntarily. “In less than 200 days, 1.6 MILLION illegal immigrants have left the United States population,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement on Thursday. “This is massive. This means safer streets, taxpayer savings, pressure off of schools and hospital services and better job opportunities for Americans. Thank you, President Trump!” The agency says over 1 million people have opted for self-deportation through the CBP Home app. DHS began offering $1,000 and free travel out of the United States to those seeking to leave the country on their own and who do not have a criminal background outside of their immigration status. TOM HOMAN PUTS SANCTUARY CITIES ‘ON NOTICE’ AS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON IMMIGRATION Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., is becoming an example from the Trump administration to sanctuary cities around the country, as Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered that officers cooperate with federal immigration authorities and put Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole in an oversight role of the police force. “I sent out 33 letters to mayors around this country. I think three or four of them were in California alone. Not surprising. I sent out letters to all of these mayors and to the governors saying, “You must comply.’ we want to know what you’re doing to comply with our federal government,” Bondi said on “Hannity” on Thursday night. Tensions are high between Democratic leadership and federal law enforcement in sanctuary cities, as there were immigration authorities outside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s rally in Los Angeles on Thursday, and at least one arrest was made by U.S. Border Patrol. NEWSOM OFFICE DISMISSES CRIME FEARS, DEFENDS SANCTUARY POLICIES AMID SURGE IN VIOLENCE: ‘FAKE NEWS’ “WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY WEAK LITTLE DONALD TRUMP, THE CRIMINAL PRESIDENT!” Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital in an email. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Some New York City leaders are also making critical comparisons to rebuke the Trump administration’s immigration policies. “When I look at the visuals of ICE agents masked on the street, taking people from their homes, taking people who are rightfully showing up for court. It reminds me of something that some of my ancestors had to go through, which is the KKK,” New York City Council Member Nantasha Williams said this week. AMERICA’S CRIME DROP ISN’T A COINCIDENCE. TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION POLICIES ARE WORKING Many Democrats have likened ICE agents to Nazis since Trump took office. “I’m gonna start with the flashing red light — Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets,” former vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said in May. “They’re in unmarked vans, wearing masks, being shipped off to foreign torture dungeons. No chance to mount a defense. Not even a chance to kiss a loved one goodbye. Just grabbed up by masked agents, shoved into those vans, and disappeared.” “I don’t know of any police department that routinely wears masks. We know that there are other groups that routinely wear masks. NSC-131 routinely wears masks,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in June, referencing a neo-Nazi group. DHS says that ICE agents are facing a 1,000% increase in assaults since last year. “We will not and have not let this violence stop us or slow us down. Everyday our law enforcement continues to enforce the law and arrest the most depraved criminals including pedophiles, terrorists, murderers, gang members, and sexual predators,” Noem stated earlier this month as ICE seeks to hire thousands of more agents. President Trump is touting the immigration crackdown, as the administration says the efforts to remove illegal immigrants from the country will lead to less of a strain on public resources. “We want to stop crime. I think if the Democrats aren’t strong on this issue, they won’t be able to do it. I think this is a bigger issue than all of the other ridiculous things that like open borders,” he said Thursday.
Trump closes out 30th week in office with ‘very warm’ high-stakes Putin meeting
President Donald Trump closed out his 30th week in office of his second term with a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, in an attempt to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The two did not reach a peace agreement, but Trump said that the meeting was a success and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House in Washington Monday. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump said in a Saturday post on Truth Social. If the meeting in Washington with Zelenskyy goes well, Trump said that a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine will be scheduled. Trump described the meeting with Putin as “very warm,” and said that he believed a deal was imminent. “I can tell you, the meeting was a very warm meeting,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview. “You know, he’s a strong guy, he’s tough as hell on all of that, but the meeting was a very warm meeting between two very important countries, and it’s very good when they get along. I think we’re pretty close to a deal. Now look, Ukraine has to agree to it.” Here’s what also happened this week: On Monday, Trump announced he would activate approximately 800 National Guard troops and would take over the Metropolitan Police Department to address crime in Washington. The move came after Trump already bolstered federal law enforcement presence in the nation’s capital Saturday. “I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, D.C.,” Trump told reporters at a Monday press conference. “And they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly.” TRUMP TAKES CONTROL OF METRO POLICE, DEPLOYS NATIONAL GUARD TO TAKE ON WASHINGTON CRIME Trump initially suggested federalizing Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department and dispatching National Guard troops to address crime in Washington Aug. 6 in response to the assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer. Although a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is warranted for emergency situations, Washington officials filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s move Friday. “By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law,” Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a Friday X post. “This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.” The White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday, announcing it would conduct a review of its museums and exhibits leading up to the 250th birthday of the United States in 2025. “We want the museums to treat our country fairly,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.” “Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad,” Trump said. “But what happened over the years in an accurate way.” AMERICAN HISTORY WON’T BE DISPLAYED ‘IN A WOKE MANNER’ AT SMITHSONIAN, TRUMP SAYS The White House said in a letter Tuesday the review would involve examining social media, exhibition text and educational materials to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.” “This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” the letter said. WHITE HOUSE REVIEWING ALL SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM, EXHIBIT CONTENT BEFORE AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION IN 2026 The Smithsonian told Fox News Digital it would coordinate with the White House, Congress and its governing Board of Regents on the matter. “The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” the Smithsonian said in a statement.
Top House Dem sides with Mamdani critics on key controversy surrounding his campaign: ‘Legitimate issue’
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries again declined to issue an endorsement of New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and said the recent controversy over Mamdani living in a rent-stabilized apartment is a “legitimate issue.” “Well listen, that’s an issue for the state legislators and the state government to work out,” Jeffries told CNBC on Thursday morning when asked about Mamdani living in a rent-stabilized apartment in Queens despite making close to $150,000 a year. When pressed about New Yorkers who make far less and don’t have access to rent-controlled apartments, Jeffries said, “It’s a legitimate issue that has been raised, and the campaign is going to have to address it.” Mamdani has faced intensifying criticism for living in the rent-controlled apartment while campaigning on the need for affordable housing, including from his opponent, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has floated legislation that he has dubbed “Zohran’s Law” to prevent high-income individuals from occupying rent-stabilized apartments. OBAMA’S CALL TO MAMDANI ‘NORMALIZES’ THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE, SHARPTON SAYS Mamdani, who has previously acknowledged that he hails from a wealthy family, has said he rented the $2,300-per-month apartment before he became an assemblyman and did not know at the time he signed the lease that it was a rent-stabilized apartment. This week, Mamdani was hit with an ethics complaint urging a probe into the situation and questioning whether the socialist candidate received improper assistance securing subsidized housing. “Right-wing think tanks and MAGA billionaires’ pathetic attempts to distract from Zohran Mamdani’s mission to make NYC more affordable will fail, just as they did in the primary where New Yorkers resoundingly rejected Andrew Cuomo in a humiliating defeat,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec told the New York Post regarding the ethics complaint. ‘NOT WELCOME HERE’: STATEN ISLAND ACTIVIST ARRESTED AFTER CONFRONTING NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE Jeffries legitimizing the critique of Mamdani sparked some pushback online from users who suggested Jeffries was wrong to side against Mamdani. “Starting to think this guy shouldn’t be leader,” former Democratic speechwriter Alex Bradley posted on X. “Weak where it matters, not a team player.” “What a coward,” NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge Associate Director Michael Koncewicz posted on X. “It’s deeply embarrassing that Jeffries is a leader of the Democratic Party.” A headline from Mediaite characterized Jeffries’s comment as having thrown Mamdani “under the bus.” Cuomo and Mamdani have been going back and forth with jabs on the issue after Cuomo called Mamdani out in a social media post that has been seen over 30 million times, calling on Mamdani “to move out immediately and give your affordable housing back to an unhoused family who need it.” In the CNBC interview, Jeffries also declined to officially endorse Mamdani despite praising his primary performance where he “outworked” his opponents. “But now, during the general election, of course, he’s going to have to demonstrate to a broader electorate, including in many of the neighborhoods that I represent in Brooklyn, that his ideas can actually be put into reality, and that’s the conversation that he’s having with me and having with people who are community leaders and residents in the 8th Congressional District I serve.” Fox News Digital’s Alec Schemmel contributed to this report
State Department stops issuing all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza
The State Department announced on Saturday that it was halting all visitor visas to individuals from Gaza while it reviews the issuing process. “All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days,” a post on X from the State Department read. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Trump: We’re going straight to Russia-Ukraine peace deal, ‘not a mere ceasefire’
President Donald Trump is ready to zoom past a ceasefire and get straight to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. After his high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and ahead of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump announced his intention to bring a more final end to the war. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere ceasefire agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday. TRUMP REVEALS 10 STRIKING TAKEAWAYS FROM PUTIN SUMMIT IN HANNITY INTERVIEW Trump also said that if his meeting with Zelenskyy in D.C. on Monday goes well, they will work to schedule a trilateral meeting with Putin, presumably to get a peace agreement finalized and signed. However, Trump and Zelenskyy have both confirmed that they spoke after the U.S.-Russia summit on Friday. The president’s rejection of a ceasefire agreement echoes what Zelenskyy has often said regarding a lasting peace, rather than a “pause between Russian invasions.” “Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Saturday. Zelenskyy to meet with Trump in DC after historic Putin summit European leaders involved in the “Coalition of the Willing,” including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and others, also expressed their desire for a “just and lasting peace.” The officials issued a joint statement after Trump and Putin’s meeting, praising U.S. efforts and encouraging them to continue. “We are also ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support,” the statement read. Zelenskyy said on X that he urged Trump to issue sanctions if Russia refuses to partake in a trilateral meeting. The move is possible, as Trump threatened to hit Russia with “very severe” economic consequences if Putin derailed the peace process, but did not explain what that would entail. Although Putin and Trump did not reach a deal during their meeting in Alaska, the summit was widely seen as a successful step towards peace. Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview that the summit was a 10 out of 10 and that Putin wants the war to be “done.” “We see the desire of the U.S. administration and President Trump personally to facilitate the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, his desire to delve into the essence and understand its origins,” Putin said in a statement after the meeting, according to a Reuters translation. Putin reiterated his stance that the conflict with Ukraine is based in security concerns for Russia. He also said that he saw the Ukrainian people as “brotherly” and that “in order for the Ukrainian settlement to be sustainable and long-term, all the root causes of the crisis must be eliminated,” according to Reuters. It remains to be seen whether Putin would be open to a trilateral meeting to end the brutal years-long war.
Protesters confront officers patrolling DC streets after Trump policing takeover
The federal takeover of policing in Washington D.C. sparked protests near Union Station Thursday night,with demonstrators calling police and National Guard officers “Nazis.” “You guys safe over here? You guys safe? Are you guys being murdered?” one protester was heard sarcastically asking officers. Others said they are “betraying” the country and “terrorizing the community.” “You will never know a moment of peace,” one man said, accusing the officers of being “Nazis.” “Sad incel car. Sad incel car, look at that,” a woman shouted as a Tesla Cybertruck is stopped. DC’S SOFT-ON-CRIME LEADERS LET TEENS RUN WILD, OPENED DOOR FOR TRUMP TAKEOVER: POLICE GROUP “Y’all are the reason why our country is going downhill,” a protester shouted at officers during a traffic stop. President Donald Trump announced the move on Monday, and the National Guard and a variety of federal agencies, including ICE and the FBI, have been patrolling and conducting operations throughout the city. Some arrests have already been made, including dozens of illegal immigrants. Attorney General Pam Bondi initially ordered that Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole be in charge of the Metropolitan Police Department as an “emergency police commissioner,” although that directive was later changed to ensure Cole worked with Mayor Muriel Bowser. Bondi also ordering more compliance between local police and federal immigration authorities. ‘RADICAL’ DC OFFICIALS TREATED OFFICERS ‘LIKE CRAP,’ POLICE LEADER SAYS – 7 ATTACKS THAT LED TO TRUMP TAKEOVER Democrats have criticized the takeover as an overreach, with members of Congress asking for a resolution to terminate the “crime emergency” that was declared by the Trump administration. “President Trump’s incursions against D.C. are among the most egregious attacks on D.C. home rule in decades. D.C. residents are Americans, worthy of the same autonomy granted to residents of the states,” Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents D.C. as a delegate, said in a statement. “Our local police force, paid for by D.C. residents, should not be subject to federalization, an action that wouldn’t be possible for any other police department in the country. No emergency exists in D.C. that the president did not create himself, and he is not using the D.C. Police for federal purposes, as required by law,” she added. TRUMP ACTIVATES NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO ADDRESS ‘TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL’ CRIME IN WASHINGTON Meanwhile, the White House blasted the resolution, as the Trump administration said the intention is to lower crime in the capital city. “But instead of supporting what should be a bipartisan measure to Make DC Safe Again, Democrats are burying their heads in the sand, denying there is a problem, and carrying the torch for dangerous criminals that terrorize DC communities,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “D.C. residents know the reality on the ground – crime was out of control and President Trump’s actions are making the city safer. The left’s refusal to support widely popular issues with the American public – like stopping violent crime – are why their approval ratings are at historic lows and will continue to tank,” she added. The city is suing over the action, arguing that it hinders the ability of the district to self-govern. “We are suing to block the federal government takeover of D.C. police. By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb posted to X on Friday. “The federal government’s power over DC is not absolute, and it should not be exercised as such. Section 740 of the Home Rule Act permits the President to request MPD’s services. But it can only be done temporarily, for special emergencies, and solely for federal purposes,” he added.
Illegal immigrants could dominate DC arrests under federalized police force, says expert
A large number of arrests by the newly federalized Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department will likely be illegal immigrants, one expert predicts. Some 29 of the 45 arrests that were announced by the Trump administration Wednesday were illegal immigrants. A day later, 15 of the 33 arrests were illegal immigrants, including a suspect from China. “It will not be surprising to hear that a significant portion of arrests that occur under the federal intervention will be criminal aliens,” Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital. “Washington, D.C., has long suffered from problems with street gangs that include or are majority illegal alien, in part because of sanctuary policies, but also because prior waves of illegal immigration have led to large Central American diasporas in the region.” AG BONDI STRIPS POWER FROM DC POLICE CHIEF, RESCINDS SANCTUARY CITY PROTECTIONS IN CRIME CRACKDOWN OPERATION “Gangs like MS-13 and 18th Street like to set up shop in these areas, so they can recruit, extort, and intimidate the population. Any city that tolerates illegal immigration is going to have a problem with criminal aliens who know they will be shielded from immigration enforcement,” Vaughan added. This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi scrapped sanctuary policies from the department as part of a move that would override city laws on the matter. CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE Earlier today, DC Police Chief Pamela Smith issued an order permitting some cooperation with federal immigration authorities, but stopped short of allowing cooperation for the sole purpose of immigration enforcement. DC TRAFFIC STOP REPORTING ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS A ‘GREAT STEP,’ TRUMP SAYS — OTHER BLUE CITIES COULD BE NEXT The short-lived Thursday order from Smith permitted officers to begin “sharing information about persons not in MPD custody” such as during “traffic stops” and to provide “transportation for federal immigration agency employees and detained subjects,” according to NBC 4 Washington. “This intervention by Trump is an opportunity for ICE to make up for years of being hindered by the DC government, and to clear out criminal aliens who have preyed on the law-abiding population of the city. The gangs and predators will no longer have the run of city parks and public spaces the way they have in the recent past, and the ones who are here illegally will be sent home instead of back to the streets,” Vaughan continued. Since President Donald Trump announced the police takeover on Monday, several federal agencies, along with the National Guard, have been patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., and they are visible at key locations throughout the capital. DC POLICE ANNOUNCE MAJOR ACTION ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AFTER TRUMP’S CRIME CRACKDOWN “Under President Trump and [Homeland Security] Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, ICE law enforcement is being unleashed to keep America safe from dangerous criminals. As the secretary has announced, ICE and CBP have been deployed to help clean up the streets of our nation’s capital,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated. “Our message is clear: Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States,” the spokesperson added.