Latest news with #D.C.HomeRuleActof1973
Time Magazine
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
More Than 100 Arrested Since Trump's D.C. Takeover
Authorities have arrested more than 100 people in Washington, D.C. since President Donald Trump took control of the city's police force this week, a White House official tells TIME. Trump's federal intervention in the nation's capital represents an unusual assertion of presidential authority under the D.C. Home Rule Act that has long afforded the city a greater degree of self-governance. Sixty-six arrests took place over the first two nights of the operation, and 45 occurred Wednesday night. The White House official says that reasons for the latest arrests include a warrant for first and second degree assault, distribution of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, carrying a concealed weapon, assaulting a federal officer, and undocumented immigrants who had a final order of removal. Of the 45 people who were arrested on Wednesday night, 29 were undocumented immigrants, according to the official, underscoring the operation's reach into immigration enforcement, which has alarmed civil rights advocates and residents. More than 1,650 officers were involved in the operation on Wednesday night, the official says, up from 1,450 officers the previous night. As of Wednesday, around 30 National Guard troops were on the ground in D.C., though the Trump Administration has said up to 800 could be deployed to assist law enforcement officers. As of Wednesday, around 30 National Guard troops were on the ground in D.C., though the Trump Administration has said up to 800 could be deployed to assist law enforcement officers. The official notes that National Guard troops are not currently making arrests themselves. The federal government's aggressive intervention in the nation's capital has angered many city residents. Last night, more than 100 people protested a vehicle checkpoint that authorities set up in their neighborhood, shouting phrases at officers such as, 'Go home, fascists' and 'Get off our streets,' according to NBC4 Washington. Read More: Trump Took Over the D.C. Police. He Can't Do It In Other Cities, Legal Experts Say Authorities have shifted to a round-the-clock operation, marking a sharp change in strategy from previous patrols that took place in the evening hours. The official adds that authorities are now doing so-called proactive targeting; rather than broadly patrolling public spaces, authorities are now focusing on known issues, such as warrants. For instance, the official says authorities are targeting wanted gang members, drug dealers, and street corners where authorities believe criminal activity is taking place. The arrests come after Trump on Monday declared a public safety emergency in D.C., citing 'violent crime.' He invoked a rare provision of the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973, allowing the President to take control of the city's police department for up to 30 days in 'conditions of an emergency nature.' After 30 days, both chambers of Congress have to enact into law a joint resolution to extend the operation. The move sparked backlash from Democrats, many of whom have pointed out that data show that violent crime in the city is down significantly. Violent crime in the nation's capital is down by 26% so far in 2025 compared to 2024, according to recent city police data. And in 2024, total violent crime in D.C. dropped to 'the lowest it has been in over 30 years,' the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said in January. When asked about the city's crime statistics on Thursday, Trump told reporters that D.C.'s crime data 'are under investigation right now' and accused the city of 'giving us phony crime stats.' 'Washington, D.C. is at its worst point, and it will soon be at its best point,' the President said. 'You're going to have a very safe, you're going to have a crime free city. I mean, I say that—virtually a crime-free city.' —With reporting by Nik Popli
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Trump plans 600-soldier military reaction force ready to strike at a moment's notice - here's what it will do
Trump plans for military policing 2025: Donald Trump and the Pentagon consider a 'Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force'. It will consist of 600 National Guard troops. Half of the troops will be in Alabama and Arizona. They will quickly deploy to cities facing unrest. Troops will have military weapons and riot gear. The program could launch in 2027. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Donald Trump Eyes National Guard Quick Reaction Force to Respond to Domestic Unrest Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Title 10 vs Title 32: How Donald Trump Could Use Federal Authority Program Could Launch in 2027 DC in Focus: Trump Moves to Seize Control of Local Police Is Trump Using Military As Personal Police Force? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs US president Donald Trump and the Pentagon are considering creating a permanent 'Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force' made up of about 600 National Guard troops, according to internal documents reviewed by The Washington of these troops would be based on military bases in Alabama and Arizona, as per the report. They would be ready at all times to quickly deploy to any city or state experiencing unrest or protests, according to The New Republic troops would be equipped with military-style weapons and riot gear and would be sent out in waves of 100 soldiers, according to the report. To prevent burnout, the soldiers would rotate out every 90 days, as per The New Republic Pentagon documents also raised concerns about the reduced availability of the National Guard, the cost of the program, logistical challenges, and the possible public and political impact, along with other negative external impacts this program could cause, as reported by The New READ: Ex-Intel boss pushes shocking $40 billion rescue plan involving Apple, Nvidia - calls for sacking Lip-Bu Tan Trump would have the authority to call upon the National Guard under federal laws known as Title 10 and Title 32, according to the Title 10 limits the Guard's role mainly to assisting local police without making arrests or leading investigations, Title 32 allows the Guard to operate with expanded powers, including making arrests and acting more aggressively in states declared to have unrest, as per The New Republic report. Trump used Title 32 during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, according to the READ: Giant Wyoming data center to guzzle 5x more power than residents, but the user remains secret If the program is approved and goes through the usual budget process, it could begin operating in 2027 and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, as per The New Republic report. However, it's unclear whether Trump might try to speed up its approval, according to the plan comes just a day after Trump announced his intention to take control of Washington, D.C.'s police force under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973, as reported by The New Republic. The US president threatened to increase police presence to 'clean up' homeless populations and what he described as 'slums,' according to the report. Trump also announced the deployment of 800 National Guardsmen to the city, according to the READ: 10 must-change iOS 18.6 settings that'll make your iPhone feel like day one again Critics say Trump is turning the military into a personal police force that answers only to him, as per the report. In June, he sent over 5,000 Guardsmen and active-duty Marines to California to stop protests against his immigration policies, according to The New Republic Nunn, a lawyer with the Brennan Center for Justice, told The Washington Post that 'You don't want to normalize routine military participation in law enforcement,' adding, 'You don't want to normalize routine domestic deployment,' as quoted in the Governor Wes Moore's spokesperson, Carter Elliot, said the Trump administration is ignoring established procedures for requesting additional help during times of need, saying that 'the Trump administration is blatantly and dangerously ignoring that precedent,' as quoted in The New Republic READ: As the July jobs report paints a grim picture, 114 companies plan layoffs in August - is yours on the list? It's a proposed 600-soldier National Guard unit that could quickly deploy to US cities during protests or would be stationed in Alabama and Arizona, ready to fly out when needed.
Washington Post
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Home rule is under threat again. This time it's different.
If 'fair warning is fair play' — an old King playground idiom — then this week's introduction of the Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident Act to repeal the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973 should come as no surprise. Goodness knows, warning notices have been posted via this column in recent years. True, anti-home rule bills have been dropped in the hopper on the Hill before, only to die in committee. This time around, however, conditions are different, and dangerously so.
