US Attorney General Approves Trump’s Move to Federalize Washington Police
US Attorney General Pam Bondi has officially lifted restrictions preventing Washington D.C.’s local police from assisting in immigration enforcement a move that paves the way for President Donald Trump’s plan to tighten federal control over the U.S. capital.
The decision, reported just days after Mr Trump ordered the deployment of over 800 National Guard troops and other federal law enforcement agencies to Washington D.C., marks a significant step toward federalising the city’s police force as part of what the administration describes as a crackdown on crime.
“When you walk down the street, you’re going to see police or you’re going to see FBI agents,” Mr Trump told PulseNets during a Monday press briefing. “We’re going to have a lot of agents on the street. You’re going to have a lot of, essentially military. And we will bring in the military if it’s needed.”
In a two-page order issued Thursday, Ms Bondi endorsed the Trump administration’s strategy, appointing Terry Cole, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as the city’s new “emergency police commissioner.”
According to the directive, the entire Metropolitan Police Department including Police Chief Pamela Smith must now seek clearance from Mr Cole before implementing any operational directives. PulseNets learnt that this shift effectively places local policing decisions under direct federal oversight.
However, the move has sparked sharp criticism from opposition lawmakers, who told PulseNets that the takeover disproportionately targets immigrants, minorities, and homeless residents in Washington D.C. They argue that the measure undermines the city’s autonomy and fuels fears of aggressive immigration enforcement in the nation’s capital.
Mr Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, welcomed the decision, speaking to PulseNets about the operational shift. He noted that under federal control, Washington will no longer operate as a sanctuary city with police and immigration authorities now working in lockstep to detain and deport undocumented immigrants.
Also Read: US Attorney General Sentences Nigerian Brothers to 17 Years for Sextortion Scheme Leading to Teen’s Death
“D.C. under federal control is not going to be a sanctuary city,” Mr Homan said on Fox News. “We’re working with the police hand in hand: When we encounter a criminal illegal alien, they’ll be turned over to ICE, and that’s the way it should be.”
This development signals a major escalation in Trump’s law-and-order agenda, blending crime prevention efforts with immigration crackdowns a strategy that critics say blurs the line between community safety and political targeting.
