By LINDSAY WHITEHURST, ASHRAF KHALIL and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Related Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s capital challenged President Donald Trump’s takeover of its police division in court docket on Friday, hours after his administration stepped up its crackdown on policing by naming a federal official as the brand new emergency head of the division, with all of the powers of a police chief.
District of Columbia Lawyer Normal Brian Schwalb mentioned in a brand new lawsuit that Trump goes far past his energy underneath the legislation. Schwalb requested a choose to seek out that management of the division stays in district palms and sought an emergency restraining order.
“The administration’s unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call D.C. home. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it,” Schwalb mentioned.
The lawsuit comes after Trump Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi mentioned Thursday night time that Drug Enforcement Administration boss Terry Cole will assume “powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police.” The Metropolitan Police Division “must receive approval from Commissioner Cole” earlier than issuing any orders, Bondi mentioned. It was unclear the place the transfer left town’s present police chief, Pamela Smith, who works for the mayor.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser pushed again, writing on social media that “there is no statute that conveys the District’s personnel authority to a federal official.”
Justice Division and White Home spokespeople didn’t instantly reply to messages in search of touch upon the district’s lawsuit Friday morning.
Chief had agreed to share immigration info
Schwalb had mentioned late Thursday that Bondi’s directive was “unlawful,” arguing it couldn’t be adopted by town’s police power. He wrote in a memo to Smith that “members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor,” establishing the authorized conflict between the closely Democratic district and the Republican administration.
FILE – Metropolitan Police Division Chief Pamela Smith speaks throughout a information convention with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on President Donald Trump’s plan to put Washington police underneath federal management and deploy Nationwide guard troops to Washington, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photograph/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
Bondi’s directive got here even after Smith had advised MPD officers hours earlier to share info with immigration businesses relating to folks not in custody, equivalent to somebody concerned in a visitors cease or checkpoint. The Justice Division mentioned Bondi disagreed with the police chief’s directive as a result of it allowed for continued enforcement of “sanctuary policies,” which typically restrict cooperation by native legislation enforcement with federal immigration officers.
Bondi mentioned she was rescinding that order in addition to different MPD insurance policies limiting inquires into immigration standing and stopping arrests primarily based solely on federal immigration warrants. All new directives should now obtain approval from Cole, the lawyer common mentioned.
The police takeover is the most recent transfer by Trump to check the bounds of his authorized authorities to hold out his agenda, counting on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to hurry up the mass deportation of individuals within the U.S. illegally.
It additionally marks one of the sweeping assertions of federal authority over an area authorities in fashionable instances. Whereas Washington has grappled with spikes in violence and visual homelessness, town’s murder charge ranks beneath these of a number of different main U.S. cities and the capital is just not within the throes of the public security collapse the administration has portrayed.
Residents are seeing a big present of power
A inhabitants already tense from days of ramp-up has begun seeing extra important exhibits of power throughout town. Nationwide Guard troops watched over a number of the world’s most famous landmarks and Humvees took place in entrance of the busy fundamental practice station. Volunteers helped homeless folks go away long-standing encampments — to the place was typically unclear.
FILE – Washington Metropolitan Police examine close to the U.S. Capitol, Oct. 19, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photograph/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Division of Homeland Safety police stood exterior Nationals Park throughout a recreation Thursday between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies. DEA brokers patrolled The Wharf, a preferred nightlife space, whereas Secret Service officers had been seen within the Foggy Backside neighborhood.
Bowser, strolling a tightrope between the Republican White Home and the constituency of her largely Democratic metropolis, was out of city Thursday for a household dedication in Martha’s Winery however can be again Friday, her workplace mentioned.
The uptick in visibility of federal forces across the metropolis, together with in lots of high-traffic areas, has been placing to residents going about their lives. Trump has the ability to take over federal legislation enforcement for 30 days earlier than his actions should be reviewed by Congress, although he has mentioned he’ll re-evaluate as that deadline approaches.
Officers arrange a checkpoint in certainly one of D.C.’s widespread nightlife areas, drawing protests. Troops had been stationed exterior the Union Station transportation hub because the 800 Guard members who’ve been activated by Trump began in on missions that embody monument safety, neighborhood security patrols and beautification efforts, the Pentagon mentioned.
Troops will help legislation enforcement in quite a lot of roles, together with visitors management posts and crowd management, Nationwide Guard Main Micah Maxwell mentioned. The Guard members have been skilled in de-escalation ways and crowd management gear, Maxwell mentioned.
Nationwide Guard troops are a semi-regular presence in D.C., sometimes getting used throughout mass public occasions just like the annual July 4 celebration. They’ve repeatedly been used previously for crowd management in and round Metro stations.
Initially Printed: August 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM EDT
