President Donald Trump’s federal oversight of the Washington, D.C., police department was scheduled to end on Wednesday, coinciding with legislative discussions about reforming the district’s criminal justice system.
Congress has yet to reveal whether they plan to prolong the 30-day federal intervention, which started in August following Trump’s declaration of a public safety emergency aimed at reducing crime in the district.
Even if the federal oversight lapses, it would not affect the presence of D.C. National Guard members, as their deployment has been extended by the Army until Nov. 30.
Trump’s directive involved collaboration between local police and federal agencies, including National Guard troops and federal immigration officers, in the capital. The city has since filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over this deployment.
New data from Trump’s Department of Justice said more than 2,100 arrests were made as part of the D.C. operation, including 20 alleged gang members.
Congress to weigh proposals reforming DC’s criminal justice system
The House Oversight Committee planned to examine several proposals specific to D.C. on Wednesday. These include one that would require Congress to review all city council legislation for 60 days.
Another proposal suggests lowering the age at which juveniles can be tried as adults from 16 to 14 for certain violent offenses, while another would introduce penalties for camping on public property.
The proposed changes come as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., backs Trump’s goals of expanding federal similar takeovers nationwide.
“These mayors in these big blue cities have to ask this question, and I think their voters and the residents and the law-abiding citizens in all these cities should be asking local leaders, ‘How long are you going to put up with this?'” Johnson said.
The shortlist of cities for ramped-up Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and potential National Guard deployment includes New Orleans, Chicago and New York.
‘s Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
