Summary
President Trump put the Washington, D.C., police under federal control and increased federal law enforcement presence in the city in early August 2025 to reduce crime. Since then, over 1,600 arrests have been made, with many involving immigration-related offenses. The administration has not released detailed information about individuals arrested or their charges despite requests.
Key Facts
- President Trump made the decision to take over D.C. police and deploy the National Guard to address crime in Washington, D.C.
- More than 1,669 people have been arrested since the operation started on August 7, 2025.
- A significant portion of these arrests are for immigration-related offenses.
- The administration has not disclosed names or case details of those arrested.
- NPR reviewed court records to find that nearly 1,100 people had their cases processed in Washington, D.C.'s Superior Court.
- About 20% of those defendants faced felony charges, while 80% faced lesser charges or had their cases dropped.
- Federal prosecutors handle both local and federal crimes in Washington, D.C., unlike other U.S. areas.
- The U.S. Attorney's Office has been dropping between 10% and 20% of cases at an early stage.
