In the first week after the White House assumed control of Washington, D.C.’s police force and deployed federal agents and National Guard troops, the city saw a modest decrease in reported crime but a dramatic spike in immigration-related arrests, according to CNN’s analysis of government data. For the week beginning August 12 — the first full week under federal oversight — property crime fell by about 19 percent and violent crime dropped 17 percent compared to the week prior. Robberies and car break-ins declined by over 40 percent, thefts stayed flat, burglaries rose 6 percent, and assaults with a dangerous weapon increased 14 percent. Two homicides occurred during the period, consistent with recent trends. Federal agencies have been embedded with local police, helping execute arrests, searches, and warrants while patrolling in unmarked vehicles.
At the same time, immigration enforcement surged sharply. Since August 7, federal officials have arrested roughly 300 individuals without legal immigration status — more than ten times the usual weekly number of ICE arrests in the district. During the first six months of Trump’s term, ICE averaged only about 12 arrests per week, according to data from UC Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project. Officials confirmed that ICE agents have been accompanying MPD officers and intervening whenever stopped individuals were found to be in the country unlawfully. The White House described the results as “exceptional,” arguing that crime reductions are life-changing for residents.
The escalation in immigration arrests has fueled criticism from D.C.’s Democratic leadership, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, who warned that the federal takeover may be aimed primarily at targeting undocumented immigrants. The city’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit challenging Attorney General Pam Bondi’s order instructing police to ignore sanctuary laws, though a federal judge suggested Trump may have such authority under the Home Rule Act. Viral videos have shown ICE agents tackling immigrants, including delivery workers, and breaking car windows to detain suspects. Meanwhile, MPD and federal agencies have launched rarely used traffic checkpoints, stopping vehicles and conducting searches with unclear selection criteria.