• Trump threatens to federalize Washington, D.C. police over ICE cooperation.
• Mayor Bowser's refusal sparks accusations of federal overreach.
• Protests erupted following Trump's recent deployment of National Guard troops.
• Trump cites declining crime statistics in the city as a justification for federal control.
• The future of Trump's emergency order remains uncertain after recent lapses.

On September 15, President Donald Trump announced plans to declare a national emergency and potentially federalize police operations in Washington, D.C. following Mayor Muriel Bowser's refusal to have the local police cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This conflict centers around the sharing of information on individuals illegally residing in or entering the United States, and Trump’s threats are viewed by many as an overreach of federal authority, especially with an estimated 2,000 troops currently patrolling the city, according to Reuters, SCMP, Channel News Asia, TRT Global, Dawn, India Times, Los Angeles Times.

During his announcement, Trump claimed, “In just a few weeks, the 'place' is absolutely booming... for the first time in decades, virtually NO CRIME," a statement he posted on Truth Social. The president believes that halting police cooperation with ICE could lead to an upsurge in crime, prompting him to say he would “call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary!!!” He has directed the Metropolitan Police Department to come under direct federal control, a move critics have condemned as federal overreach, argues Reuters, SCMP, Channel News Asia, TRT Global, Dawn, India Times.

The context for Trump's statements includes widespread protests against his earlier directive that placed the National Guard in Washington D.C. to purportedly restore order. This deployment followed a stern characterization by Trump of the capital as plagued by crime, which Bowser had previously acknowledged as contributing to declining crime rates in the city. She has indicated that the local police can still operate cooperatively with other federal agencies but has pushed back specifically against ICE, which has not been included in her directives. This has created tension as Trump stated if police halt cooperation with ICE, “Crime would come roaring back,” referring to concerns about public safety, as Reuters, SCMP, Channel News Asia, TRT Global, Dawn, India Times, Los Angeles Times.