Bowser signs DC body cam bill for federal force, vetoes officer log measure
Federal judge limits ICE's warrantless arrests in DC
A federal judge has ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may not arrest undocumented immigrants in D.C. without a warrant unless they can demonstrate probable cause that a crime was committed and show the person poses a flight risk.
WASHINGTON - Earlier this week, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a measure requiring the release of D.C. police body camera footage in cases where federal agents fired on people in the District.
She also rejected a separate emergency bill that would have required officers to log when federal personnel were present during arrests or use-of-force incidents, according to The Washington Post.
The legislation she approved focuses on making footage from serious use-of-force incidents public.
In contrast, the bill she vetoed would have mandated documenting the presence of federal officers. The former was introduced by councilmember Brooke Pinto, while the latter came from councilmember Robert C. White Jr.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a press conference after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department at the Wilson Building on August 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
DC Council seeks transparency for federal agents after Trump-era deployments
Dig deeper:
According to The Post, the D.C. Council has been leading efforts to increase oversight and shed more light on how federal law enforcement operates in the District. The bills were introduced after the deployment of federal officers last year under President Donald Trump, highlighting tensions over accountability.
"Transparency when there is a use of force by federal agents is essential for the public and for the families who are affected," Pinto wrote on X earlier this month.
In a letter to D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) obtained by The Post earlier this week, Bowser wrote that she signed Pinto’s bill because it closely aligns with existing laws governing MPD body camera footage.
"This emergency legislation closely aligns with District laws and policies related to the serious use of force and automatic release of body-worn camera footage and identification of involved officers that the D.C. police officers currently operate within," the letter read.
D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto speaks with community activists during the Council's meeting to vote on the "Secure D.C." Crime Bill in The Wilson Building in Washington D.C., United States on February 6, 2024. (Photo by Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via G
Bowser objected to White's bill, which she vetoed, earlier this month in a letter to the Council.
"This is a federal issue that should be handled by Congress," she wrote. "Congress has oversight over federal law enforcement agencies and can require a mask prohibition (which they are debating now) as well as body-worn cameras and name identification. I urge members of the Council to seek congressional action on these matters."
In response to Bowser's veto, White told The Post that he doesn't know "how you say to residents, ‘We don’t want to know more when federal officers fire their weapons at people in D.C.’"
D.C. Council member Robert C. White Jr. (D-At Large) speaks as Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) testifies to the D.C. City Council outlining the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget in Washington, D.C., on April 3, 2024. (Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via
"We have an obligation to report that," he said. "I just don’t understand the circumstances in which that would not be true."
Federal agents’ shootings raise oversight questions
The backstory:
Two incidents last fall in D.C. involving federal agents firing at drivers have raised questions about oversight.
In October, Philip Brown was stopped on Benning Road NE when a Homeland Security Investigations agent fired multiple shots at his SUV; none hit him, and charges were later dropped.
In November, during a police chase on the same road, Justin Brian Nelson, 35, had shots fired at his car by a Homeland Security Investigations agent before being arrested for fleeing and assaulting an officer.
DC Council weighs override or compromise after Bowser veto
What's next:
With Bowser’s veto in place, the council now faces a decision. Lawmakers could try to override it with a two-thirds vote, or they could negotiate a compromise that balances increased transparency with the mayor’s concerns.
How the council proceeds could shape public access to information about federal law enforcement in D.C. for months to come.
The Source: Information sourced from The Washington Post, the ACLU of D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser's recent letter to the D.C. Council, X, the bill text and previous FOX 5 DC reporting.