U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro highlighted significant declines in violent crime during a community meeting on Thursday, despite resident concerns about masked federal agents, increased immigration enforcement, and harsher federal policies. Speaking at a forum hosted by the 3rd District Citizens Advisory Council, Pirro credited President Trump’s law enforcement surge with reducing homicides by 53%, robberies by 59%, and violent crime overall by nearly 40%.

However, some residents challenged her claims, expressing frustration over aggressive policing and enforcement practices. One resident, Athena Viscusi, said, “It’s like we’re walking in two different cities,” contrasting the government’s portrayal with her own experience of community disruption.

The federal surge continues even after the city’s crime emergency expired, though prosecutors have dismissed nearly a dozen surge-related cases. The forum coincided with Trump’s executive order reinstating the federal death penalty nationwide, including in Washington, D.C., where capital punishment was abolished in 1981 but still applies under federal law.

Pirro defended masked agents, explaining some wear face coverings to avoid becoming targets, and emphasized her role in protecting and prosecuting. She also is working with Congress and Mayor Muriel Bowser on expanding the office’s ability to try juveniles as adults, citing frustration over lenient punishments for violent youth offenders.

Pirro noted her office is operating with significantly reduced staff and stressed bipartisan efforts to secure police resources, saying, “There is no Republican or Democratic way to protect the people of the District.”