Nearly half of all non-immigration-related arrests since President Donald Trump announced his plan to take control of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., and deploy the National Guard have occurred in two of the city’s highest-crime wards.
According to White House figures, federal authorities have made 212 arrests excluding immigration cases since Aug. 8, with 101 arrests, or about 48%, taking place in Wards 7 and 8, majority-Black neighborhoods long plagued by violent crime, Axios reported Tuesday.
Of the arrests, 24 were related to gun charges in Ward 8, while 11 gun arrests occurred in Ward 7. Authorities also reported 31 narcotics cases, seven driving under the influence charges, and two assaults. Immigration-related arrests totaled 164, many involving additional charges such as assault and drug distribution.
National Guard troops are stationed in “high traffic areas to provide a visible law enforcement presence to deter crime,” the administration said, while declining to release details on troop locations or ward-by-ward arrest data beyond Wards 7 and 8.
The figures were compiled after criticism and reporting by The Washington Post, which found more law enforcement officers deployed in downtown areas with lower crime rates.
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office, which has criticized the federal action, declined to comment. The Metropolitan Police Department did not confirm the numbers.
Trump launched the 30-day takeover following an attempted carjacking involving a White House staffer. He has described the city as “the most unsafe place anywhere” and defended the move as necessary to restore order.
Crime in Washington has declined from pandemic-era spikes, mirroring national trends. Trump has pointed to his measures as boosting safety and drawing residents back to businesses, though restaurant data shows a drop in local dining since the crackdown.
The White House has not said whether the federal presence will be extended beyond September.
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