US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would declare a state of emergency in Washington and federalize it after Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city's police would not cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
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This refers to providing information about individuals who are illegally residing in the US or entering the country. Trump's threat adds to a move that critics consider an overreach of power by the federal government, amid more than 2,000 troops patrolling the city.
The comments came after several thousand protesters took to the streets this month over Trump's August decision to deploy National Guard troops to "restore law, order, and public safety," calling crime a disgrace to the US capital.
"In just a few weeks. 'This place' is literally thriving... for the first time in decades, there is virtually no crime," Trump said on Truth Social.
Bowser's administration has not yet responded to a request for comment on Trump's post.
He previously placed the metropolitan police in the US under direct federal control and deployed federal law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, to patrol the streets. It is not yet clear when their mission will end.
Trump accused "radical left Democrats" of pressuring Bowser to inform the government of its refusal to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), adding that if the police stop cooperating with them, "crime will return with renewed force."
He added: "To the residents and businesses of Washington, D.C., don't worry, I am with you and will not let this happen. I will declare a state of emergency and, if necessary, federalize!"
Bowser, who previously praised Trump's efforts to strengthen federal law enforcement, which led to a sharp decline in crime, had earlier signed an order to coordinate the city's actions with federal law enforcement agencies.
The National Guard is a force subordinate to the governors of the 50 states, except when called into federal service. The District of Columbia National Guard reports directly to the US President.
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