US President Donald Trump on Monday warned that he would declare a national emergency and federalize Washington, DC, after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the city’s police would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The standoff centers on the sharing of information about individuals residing in or entering the country illegally. Trump’s threat has fueled criticism of federal overreach, with more than 2,000 troops already patrolling the capital. His comments followed a wave of protests earlier this month against the August deployment of National Guard troops to Washington. At the time, Trump said the move was aimed at restoring “law, order, and public safety” in a city he repeatedly described as plagued by crime. “In just a few weeks, the place is absolutely booming… for the first time in decades, virtually NO CRIME,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. In recent weeks, Trump had placed the Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control and sent federal law enforcement, including ICE officers, to the city. The duration of their mission remains unclear, reported Reuters. The president blamed “Radical Left Democrats” for pressuring Bowser into refusing cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “If police halt cooperation with ICE, crime would come roaring back,” he said, adding that he was prepared to escalate. “To the people and businesses of Washington, DC, DON’T WORRY. I AM WITH YOU, AND WON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. I’ll call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!” Notably, Bowser has previously endorsed Trump’s expanded federal law enforcement presence, crediting it with a sharp drop in crime. However, her recent order directs city authorities to coordinate only on limited terms with federal agencies. Under US law, the National Guard usually reports to state governors, but in Washington, DC, it is directly under the president’s command.
