National Guard Deployments Expand as Trump’s DC Law Enforcement Takeover Intensifies
National Guard Deployments Expand as Trump’s DC Law Enforcement Takeover Intensifies
WASHINGTON – The federal operation to assert control over Washington D.C.’s law enforcement has dramatically escalated, with three more Republican governors authorizing the deployment of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital. Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana have joined the effort, bringing the total number of state troops dispatched to over 1,100 from six states, reinforcing President Donald Trump’s stated goal to crack down on crime and boost immigration enforcement.
The move comes as Mayor Muriel Bowser continues to challenge the administration’s narrative, asserting that the deployment is less about local crime and more about immigration enforcement, a central tenet of the second Trump administration. Bowser has voiced strong skepticism regarding the administration’s intentions and pushed back against Trump’s characterization of the city.
President Trump’s executive order, which declared a “crime emergency” in D.C., has initiated a contentious takeover of the city’s police department, directing local forces to cooperate with federal immigration agents – a directive that conflicts with existing local laws. Since the operation began, federal agents have reportedly arrested 160 undocumented individuals, some alleged to be gang members.
The surge of federal agents, including those from DEA, ICE, FBI, and Secret Service, has led to significant friction with the local government and heightened community tensions. Concerns have also mounted over the conduct of some federal agents, who have reportedly operated while masked and refused to identify themselves. Mayor Bowser has publicly requested answers regarding the use of masked personnel. Furthermore, the possibility of armed National Guard members being deployed, a departure from earlier Pentagon statements, adds another layer of tension, despite the D.C. Guard’s statement that troops “may be armed consistent with their mission and training.”
The operation has sparked legal challenges, including a lawsuit from the city’s attorney general, and ignited protests in D.C. neighborhoods. Trump, undeterred, has publicly declared the White House to be “in charge” and vowed to “liberate this City” from what he describes as “thugs and killers,” touting nearly 400 arrests since the operation’s inception.
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