August 2025
President Trump declared a state of emergency on August 11th, 2025 due to the alleged crime emergency in the District of Columbia. The president federalized the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed the National Guard. Several other states also sent members of their National Guard to D.C. to support the president’s deployment of the D.C. Guard. This state of emergency was characterized by the clearing encampments of unhoused District residents and brutal immigration enforcement. The government gave unhoused residents very little or no notice before razing encampments, and there were no plans for the safety and well-being of people who lost their homes and possessions. In the name of immigration enforcement and/or the alleged crime emergency, DC residents endured widespread warrantless arrests, daily traffic checkpoints, and vehicle stops on busy corridors. The state of emergency declaration lapsed after 30 days, but the escalated immigration enforcement continued.
National Guard deployment in DC has been extended through the end of 2026. There are currently more than 2300 soldiers, 1,000 from DC National Guard and the rest from 7 different states. The D.C. Attorney General filed suit questioning the National Guard deployment as violation of Posse Comitatus Act and Home Rule Act (no authorization from Mayor of DC). A federal judge ordered that Guard be withdrawn from DC, that decision is currently being appealed by the Trump administration.