Trump threatens to ‘federalise’ US capital over immigration dispute
The threat is the latest in a series of escalations that began with the US president’s deployment of National Guard troops to fight crime
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would call a national emergency and federalise the capital, Washington, after Mayor Muriel Bowser said its police would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
At issue is the provision of information on individuals living in, or entering, the United States illegally. Trump’s threat adds to a move critics have seen as federal overreach, with more than 2,000 troops patrolling the city.
The comments come after several thousand protesters hit the streets this month over Trump’s August deployment of National Guard troops in the capital to “re-establish law, order, and public safety”, after calling crime a blight on the city.
“In just a few weeks. The ‘place’ is absolutely booming … for the first time in decades, virtually NO CRIME,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Bowser’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s post.