WASHINGTON (AP) — The main drag in Washington’s Columbia Heights area is usually packed with people selling pupusa, fresh fruits, souvenirs and clothing. But on Tuesday, things felt different. The white tents swelled with food and products were scarce than usual.
“It all stopped last week,” said Yasin Yahiyawi, who sells gemstones and glass figurines. Most of his clients and fellow vendors “just disappeared,” he said, especially when speaking Spanish.
How is the unusually quiet street President Donald Trump The decision to kill the country’s capital to federal law enforcement and immigration agents has ripped over the city. The deployment of military and foot patrols in the downtown area and around the National Mall have been the most notable, but life in historically diverse areas like Columbia Heights has also been restructured.
The White House believes Trump crackdown with hundreds of arrests while local officials criticize local officials for aggressive intervention in city operations.
The conflict escalated on Tuesday as DC’s top federal prosecutor The investigation has begun Whether police officers fake criminal data, according to people familiar with situations where they are not allowed to comment publicly. This probe can be used to strengthen Trump’s claim that the city is suffering “Crime Emergency” Despite statistics showing improvements. The mayor’s office and the police department declined to comment.
You can see a stop in the city
Blocked away from where Yahyaoui set up the store, US immigration and customs enforcement agencies and local police have stopped moped drivers delivering pizza. The agents drove unmarked cars and wore tactical vests. One covered his face with green balaclava. They questioned the driver and asked him to present documents regarding his employment and legal residence. No arrests were made.
The White House said 450 arrests have been made since August 7th, when the federal operation began. The Trump administration strengthened immigration enforcement and president I signed an executive order On August 11th, the police station was placed under federal control for 30 days. That needs to be extended. Congressional approval is required.
White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt said Trump is “supporting acquiesced for the safety of law-abiding American citizens.”
Bystanders caught some of the arrests on video. On Saturday morning, Christian Enriquekari Astores was taken into custody during a brawl with an ice agent, and the footage bouncing around social media. The FBI agent’s affidavit says Carias Torres kicked one of his leg agents and another was injured when he fell during the struggle and hit his head on the pavement. The stun gun was used to suppress Carias Torres, who was accused of resisting arrest on Tuesday.
Federal government alphabet soups are distributed in cities. In the Petworth area, about 20 officers from the FBI, Homeland Security, Parks Police and the former US S came down to their apartments Tuesday morning. The man reached out the window while the officer cuffed him. Yanna Stelle, 19, who witnessed the incident, said she heard a chat from Walkie Talkies as the officers moved down the hallway.
“It was just too many police first thing in the morning, especially if they were just warrants,” she said.
More national guards from other states are expected to arrive
Based on his actions and comments, Trump appears to be interested in ratcheting pressure. His administration asked Republican-led states Send more National Guard. Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, West Virginia, South Carolina and Ohio have agreed to deploy a total of 1,100 troops to the city, on top of 800 from the DC-based National Guard.
Resistance to that concept is beginning to emerge both on the streets and on the Congress. On Tuesday, California Democrat Sam Ricardo introduced a bill that requires reporting that outlines the costs of deploying National Guards unrelated to natural disasters and its legal basis. Also, reports on security guard interactions with civilians and other aspects of the surgery are required.
44 Democrats have signed the support, including Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s non-voting representative in the House. The measure is unlikely to pass while Republicans control the room, but it is a sign of a broader democratic response to Trump’s unprecedented move in Washington.
“Does LA and DC carry out a test of broader authoritarian takeovers in the community?” asked Ricardo. He added that the country’s founders doubt “enforcement control of the resident forces.”
“Democrats continue to side with criminals over laws that protect Americans,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson.
What kind of support will be provided?
It is unclear what help the National Guard can provide when it comes to crime.
“The fact of the matter is that the National Guard is not trained in law enforcement and will not be in a place where it is engaged in law enforcement activities,” said Jeff Asher, crime analyst and consultant at AH Datalytics. “So I don’t know that it’s fair to expect that.”
In a social media post, Trump declared that his initiative has changed Washington from “the most dangerous ‘city’ in the United States” to “probably the safest and getting better every hour”!
According to data from Metropolitan Police, the number of crimes reported in DC fell by about 8% this week compared to the previous week. There were several variations in that data, with crimes such as robbery and car theft reduced, robbery increased slightly, and murder remained stable.
Still, the sample size for a week is small. It’s far from enough time for the data to show meaningful shifts, Asher said. Referring to the one-month period in which the DC Home Rules Act allows the president to take control of the police station: “I think 30 days is too short to say anything.”
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Associated Press authors Michael Kunzelman, Alana Durkin Richer, Jacqueline Martin and Ashraf Halil contributed to the report.
