Bowser says violent crime in DC down 45%, urges less focus on immigration enforcement

DC residents express concern over increased federal presence

For several hours into Monday evening, more than 30 officers including Metropolitan Police Department and federal agents slowed down cars riding down North Capitol.

WASHINGTON - During a situational update on the federal law enforcement presence in the District on Wednesday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated that violent crime is down 45% since the oversight started, compared with the same period last year.

What we know:

Overall, there's been a 38% drop in homicides, an 87% drop in carjackings and a 62% drop in robberies. These figures come as arrests in D.C. this month have topped 1,500, which is up 20% from this time in 2024. 

"We greatly appreciate the surge of officers that enhance what MPD has been able to do in this city," Bowser told reporters on Wednesday. "We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer." 

"This surge has been important to us," she added. "If there were 500 additional MPD officers, that same activity, arrests and gun recovery would have likely been made."

Mayor Bowser reportedly spoke with President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi before meeting with reporters. She said during the press conference Wednesday that during these calls, she was unable to determine if Trump and Bondi are intending to end or extend the federal oversight beyond the initial 30 days. 

"That was not something that I discussed with the president. What we want is local control of our public safety ecosystem," she said when she was asked what she wanted after the 30 days are up. "That includes deployment of officers, and we want federal officers that work in coordination with us — DEA, ATF, FBI — who, as the chief just mentioned, work with us on major crime issues all the time."

She added, "After 30 days, I think we're going to have officers, and we want officers. We want to enhance our officer presence."

What they're saying:

Despite being seemingly pleased with these figures, Bowser said that she senses a lot of "anxiety" in the District right now and added that federal officers need to be less focused on immigration enforcement and more on violence. 

"What we know is not working is a break in trust between police and community, especially with new federal partners in our community," she said. "We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked, and national guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources." 

FreeDC, a social justice campaign whose goal is to protect Home Rule in the District, criticized the mayor's conciliatory tone in a statement issued Wednesday. 

"The people of D.C. deserve better than what the mayor said today," Nee Nee Taylor, co-founder of FreeDC, stated. "It is dangerous for MPD to not be accountable to the people here. Our demand remains that all escalated federal forces leave D.C. immediately, and that the leaders who are sworn to serve D.C. residents work to end this occupation and do everything possible to protect people during this period of increased danger and threat."

Several Democratic members of the D.C. City Council spoke out on social media, as well. 

"We should not, as the District of Columbia, be giving people the impression that this is a good thing, that we are OK with it, that it is helping the city. It is not doing any of those things," at-large Council member Robert White Jr., said in a video on X. "I am not OK with this. The average resident is not OK with this. D.C. residents, D.C. voters, are not OK with this."

Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau said on X that D.C. is "under siege."

"Our residents are afraid, hesitant to go out & to work, angry that our limited autonomy is being eroded," she stated. "There is nothing welcome about this."