In the first week of federal control over Washington, D.C.’s police force, reported crime dropped — property crimes fell 19% and violent crime 17% — but immigration arrests surged. Robberies and car break-ins fell sharply, while assaults and burglaries rose slightly. Federal agents have been embedded with local police, conducting patrols, searches, and arrests across the city.
Since August 7, ICE has detained about 300 undocumented immigrants in D.C., more than ten times the usual weekly number. The White House praised the results as life-changing, while critics, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, warned the operation is focused more on immigration enforcement than public safety. A lawsuit has been filed challenging Attorney General Pam Bondi’s order overriding the city’s sanctuary laws.
