National Guard members in Washington DC, U.S., Aug. 14, 2025. Photo: X/@DeptofDefense.
Previously, Trump declared a ‘Public Safety Emergency’ in this city, something local authorities dispute.
Since Wednesday night, hundreds of federal agents and National Guard members have been patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., after President Donald Trump placed the city’s police under federal control.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) set up checkpoints in several areas of the city and increased patrols in shifts covering 24 hours a day.
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said 19 agencies were part of a task force created by Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Agents made 45 arrests for first- and second-degree assault, along with detentions for “distribution of illegal drugs and narcotics that have now been removed from the streets,” Leavitt said, adding that authorities also detained 29 undocumented immigrants, “many of whom had final deportation orders.”
CNN correspondent — outside of Washington D.C.'s Union Station — says the National Guard and federal law enforcement presence is resulting in "fewer people" loitering:
pic.twitter.com/jkAVNi8ZC5— Mark R Levin (@RLevin63620) August 14, 2025
On Monday, Trump declared a “Public Safety Emergency” to fight what he called a “crime wave” in Washington, D.C., something local authorities dispute.
He announced the activation of about 800 National Guard troops as part of a campaign to “restore public order” in the capital, invoking a clause of the Home Rule Act, which has governed Washington’s autonomy since 1973.
Trump Announces Deployment of National Guard in Washington DC (+Homeless Crisis)
The U.S. president also warned he would dismantle homeless encampments and crack down on “juvenile offenders who terrorize the capital.”
On Wednesday, Trump said he would seek to extend federal control over law enforcement in the capital, arguing that the 30 days stipulated in the law “are not enough” to “fight crime” in the city.
The District is carrying out a homeless "encampment engagement" on Thursday near the Interstate 66 ramp in Foggy Bottom, the mayor’s office confirmed. https://t.co/mETsV859be
— KRNV (@KRNV) August 14, 2025
A coalition of organizations defending the rights of homeless people in Washington denounced the “illegal and inhumane imprisonment and internment” of these individuals by the Trump administration, saying such operations were set to begin Friday morning.
They emphasized that there are currently very limited shelter spaces in the city for the roughly 900 people who sleep outdoors in Washington, where social services remain limited.
“Criminalizing homelessness does not solve the problem, wastes money and strips homeless residents of Washington, D.C., of their rights and dignity,” the coalition said in a statement that also offered guidance on handling interactions with law enforcement.
