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
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