Activists with Free DC carry signs as they march to federal court, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Washington.
The Trump administration has stepped back from a full takeover of Washington, D.C.’s police force. But it has doubled down on forcing local police to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The move has sparked protests, legal battles, and rising tensions in the nation’s capital.
DC Police Chief Remains in Charge
On Friday, officials confirmed that Police Chief Pamela Smith will remain in control of the Metropolitan Police Department. The decision came just hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a new directive. She ordered D.C. police to support federal immigration operations regardless of the city’s sanctuary laws.
The order followed a lawsuit filed by D.C. leaders challenging President Donald Trump’s attempt to appoint a federal official to lead the police. That plan would have placed the force under direct federal control for the first time in modern history.
A Partial Retreat but Strong Pressure
Bondi’s latest order represents a compromise. It avoids an immediate federal takeover of city policing. But it increases pressure on the District to align with Trump’s mass-deportation campaign.
Bondi criticized D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb for resisting federal directives. Still, she noted a willingness to work with Mayor Muriel Bowser. Bowser’s office said it is reviewing the new order but promised to protect the city’s sanctuary policies.
In a letter to residents, Bowser described the week as “unsettling and unprecedented.” She urged Washingtonians to remain united, vowing to defend democracy despite limited self-rule.
Courtroom Clash Over Authority
The legal fight reached U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes on Friday. She expressed doubts that Trump had the authority to take full control of the city’s police. However, she acknowledged that federal law grants the president more power over D.C. than local leaders may prefer.
“The president can ask, the mayor must provide, but the president can’t control,” Reyes said. She encouraged both sides to find a compromise.
Trump administration lawyers argued that Chief Smith had not gone far enough in cooperating with federal immigration agents. They insisted the president has broad authority to determine how D.C. police must assist.
Testing Legal Boundaries
The attempted takeover reflects Trump’s broader strategy of testing legal limits. By invoking emergency powers, he seeks to advance a tough-on-crime agenda and expand immigration enforcement.
No president since the Home Rule Act of 1973 has directly controlled D.C.’s police. Trump is the first to try. Under the law, federal authority over the force lasts 30 days unless extended by Congress.
D.C. has faced crime and homelessness challenges. But its homicide rate remains lower than several other U.S. cities. Critics say Trump has exaggerated the crisis to justify federal intervention.
Immigration Advocates on Alert
Bondi’s earlier order had named DEA official Terry Cole as temporary head of the police. This came even after Chief Smith instructed officers to share limited information with immigration authorities. The Justice Department rejected her approach, calling it a continuation of “sanctuary” policies.
Immigrant advocates in Washington are scrambling to respond. Nonprofit groups are warning residents about their rights and urging caution when interacting with law enforcement.
Amy Fischer of Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid reported a sharp increase in ICE patrols since last weekend. A hotline for reporting immigration enforcement is now “ringing off the hook.” ICE confirmed several arrests in the city on Friday.
A City Under Heavy Guard
Washington residents are witnessing a visible surge of federal presence. National Guard troops stand watch at landmarks. Military vehicles block entrances near Union Station. Multiple federal agencies now patrol popular streets, from nightlife corridors to residential neighborhoods.
An Associated Press photographer saw officers from the FBI, DEA, DHS, U.S. Marshals, and ATF stationed along U Street on Friday night. Volunteers were also seen moving homeless residents from encampments with little clarity on where they were taken.
Protests Demand Local Control
As the legal battle unfolded, over 100 protesters rallied near police headquarters. They carried signs reading “Resist!” and chanted “Protect home rule!” Demonstrators called the federal intervention an attack on democracy.
For now, the city has retained its police chief. But the standoff between D.C. leaders and the Trump administration is far from over. Immigration enforcement remains at the heart of the dispute, leaving residents uncertain about the future of policing in their city.
