Authorities arrested 383 individuals in Washington, D.C., during the initial seven days of President Donald Trump's federal intervention in local policing.
As reported by WUSA9, the arrests encompass a range of charges, with immigration violations leading the totals. The White House confirmed that 164 of these detentions stemmed from immigration issues, marking a significant portion of the overall figure.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced via a social media post on Monday that 137 arrests occurred over the weekend alone. FBI Director Kash Patel added that 69 people were taken into custody on Sunday night, contributing to more than 380 arrests since the operation began.
White House data indicates officers made nearly three times as many immigration-related arrests as those for firearm possession. Only two arrests connected to homicides were recorded in the first week.
The federal effort involved invoking section 740 of the Home Rule Act on Aug. 11, allowing Trump to assume emergency control of the Metropolitan Police Department for up to 30 days. This control could extend further with congressional approval, and it included deploying the National Guard alongside agents from the FBI, ATF, and Border Patrol starting Aug. 7.
Patel detailed that FBI agents alone arrested 29 individuals, performed seven drug seizures and confiscated four firearms. Charges spanned DUIs, drug offenses, assaults and property destruction, while U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro reported a total of 21 illegal firearms seized by all participating agencies.
Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed appreciation for the additional federal support in policing but criticized attempts to usurp local authority. She noted that power over the department stayed with her and Police Chief Pamela Smith following a court battle on Friday.
Bowser highlighted that the Metropolitan Police Department routinely removes guns from streets and that a surge in officers naturally yields results. She emphasized the need for 500 more local officers while deeming the federal commandeering unnecessary, especially for non-violence-related activities.
In comparison, records from the previous year show the Metropolitan Police Department made 606 arrests between Aug. 7 and 17, 2024, without any immigration detentions. This difference arises because local police were previously prohibited from handling such violations until the recent federal involvement.
President Trump justified the surge by pointing to rising crime, referencing specific incidents like the alleged assault on a Department of Government Efficiency staffer during a carjacking intervention. He also mentioned the 2024 carjacking and murder of former official Mike Gill and the 2023 stabbing of an aide to Sen. Rand Paul, labeling D.C. as one of the world's most dangerous cities.
However, D.C. police statistics reveal violent crime has dropped 26% compared to the same period last year, with overall crime down 7% and homicides reduced by 12%. These figures continue a downward trend from 2024, when violent crime fell 35% from 2023 levels.
Trump countered these numbers on Monday by posting on TruthSocial that D.C. provided fake crime statistics to foster a misleading sense of security. He stated the matter is under serious investigation, calling it a dangerous practice.
A 2020 report by WUSA9 noted an internal whistleblower's claim of the Metropolitan Police Department underreporting crimes by downgrading offense classifications. This historical context adds to debates over the accuracy of current crime data amid the federal operation.
The White House has not clarified if the 383 arrests include only federal actions or also incorporate local police efforts. This ambiguity persists as officials from both sides navigate the integration of resources during the temporary federalization.
Bowser reiterated that while federal help is welcome for addressing violence, the expansion into areas like immigration enforcement oversteps necessary bounds. She stressed that local control remains intact, allowing the department to focus on daily operations without full federal override.
