The Quiet Takeover:
Crime Falls, Immigration Arrests Surge After Federal Takeover in D.C.
Washington, D.C. has seen crime drop but immigration arrests soar after President Trump’s administration took control of local law enforcement on August 12, 2025.
Federal agents and National Guard troops were deployed following what officials called a “collapse in public safety.”
According to MPD data, property crime fell by 19% and violent crime by 17%, while robberies and vehicle break-ins declined more than 40%.
However, assaults with weapons rose 14%, and burglaries increased 6%.
The biggest change came in immigration enforcement: about 300 undocumented individuals were detained in a week — ten times the usual rate.
Federal agents are now accompanying D.C. police on patrols.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said,
“These results are life-changing for the families who are no longer facing violence, theft, or worse.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned the move as an attack on D.C.’s sanctuary policies, while legal battles continue over the president’s authority to override local control.
