In the first week after the White House took control of Washington, D.C.’s police force and deployed federal agents and National Guard troops, the city experienced a notable shift in crime and immigration enforcement. According to a CNN analysis, from August 12, property crime fell by 19% and violent crime by 17%, compared to the previous week. Robberies and car break-ins dropped over 40%, while burglary rose by 6% and assaults with a dangerous weapon increased 14%. Homicides remained consistent with recent trends.

Federal agents embedded with local police assisted in arrests and patrols, often using unmarked vehicles. Simultaneously, immigration arrests spiked dramatically. Since August 7, around 300 undocumented individuals were arrested—over ten times the typical weekly figure for D.C. ICE agents were seen intervening during routine police stops when individuals lacked legal immigration status.

The White House praised the operation, calling crime reductions “life-changing.” Officials emphasized that the priority remains removing violent offenders from the streets, regardless of immigration status. However, local leaders have expressed concern that the focus may be shifting toward immigration enforcement rather than public safety.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and other D.C. officials argue that the federal government’s true aim may be to crack down on undocumented immigrants. The city’s Attorney General has filed a lawsuit challenging a federal order that instructs local police to disregard D.C.’s sanctuary laws, which limit cooperation with ICE.

Videos circulating online show aggressive ICE tactics, including detaining food delivery workers and breaking car windows to make arrests. Meanwhile, traffic checkpoints and random vehicle searches have sparked civil liberties concerns. A federal judge has suggested that Trump’s administration may have the legal authority under the Home Rule Act to require local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, adding fuel to the ongoing debate.