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Washington.- Hundreds of federal agents and members of the National Guard patrol the streets of Washington D.C., where this Thursday the presence of law enforcement grows after President Donald Trump put the capital police under federal control as part of a campaign against crime.
Starting from the previous night, members of agencies such as the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increased their patrols throughout the city, in shifts that will span 24 hours a day, and established checkpoints in various areas.
In areas of the emblematic National Esplanade, armored vehicles flanked by National Guard troops, summoned by Trump, could be seen. This Monday, he declared a "Public Security Emergency" to fight against what he calls a "wave of crimes" in Washington D.C., something that local authorities reject.
Arrests
"This is a multi-agency working group, created by the president, the attorney general (Pam Bondi), and our Secretary of Defense (Pete Hegseth). Last night, 19 agencies worked together in seven districts," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Thursday. According to Leavitt, the agents made 45 arrests for second and first-degree assault offenses, along with detentions for "distribution of illegal drugs and narcotics that have already been taken off the streets." He added that they also detained 29 undocumented immigrants, "many of whom had final deportation orders." Trump took control of the Washington D.C. Police on Monday, when he announced the activation of some 800 National Guard troops as part of a campaign to "restore public order" in the capital, under a clause of the so-called Home Rule Act, which governs Washington's autonomy since 1973. The president also warned – without offering further details – that he would eliminate homeless encampments and crack down on the "juvenile delinquents terrorizing the capital."Fighting Crime
On Wednesday, Trump said he would seek to extend federal control over law enforcement in the capital after considering that the 30 days stipulated in the law "are not enough" to "combat crime" in the city.You may be interested in: Federal police takeover in D.C. stirs up the NYC Mayoral campaign
A coalition of organizations, in defense of the rights of homeless people in Washington, denounced "the imprisonment and illegal and inhumane internment" of these individuals by the Trump Administration, operations that, according to them, will begin on the morning of this Friday. They insist that there are currently few places in the city's shelters for the approximately 900 people who sleep outdoors in Washington, where social services are limited. "Criminalizing homelessness doesn't solve the problem, wastes money, and deprives D.C.'s homeless residents of their rights and dignity," the coalition said in a statement offering advice on handling interactions with law enforcement.
