DateIssued:August11,2025
Topic:LawEnforcement,CriminalJustice
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
ThisexecutiveorderdeclaresastateofemergencyinWashington,DC andauthorizestheuseoftheMetropolitanPoliceDepartment(MPD)for federalpurposes.
Theorderinvokesthe1973HomeRuleAct,whichallowsDCresidentsto electtheirmayorandotherlocalrepresentatives,butalsopermits federalinterventionundercertaincircumstances,includingemergency conditions.
UndertheHomeRuleAct,theexecutivebranchofthefederal governmentcantakecontrolofDCfor30days.Beyondthat,Congress wouldhavetopassaresolutiontoextendtheemergencyconditions.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderisprimarilyenforcedbytheAttorneyGeneral(AG).
TheordergrantstheAGtheauthoritytooverseetheMPDandconferwith anyseniorofficialshedeemsnecessarytomaintainlawandorderand protectfederalproperty.
TheorderalsocompelstheAGtoreportontheprogressofthefederal interventionanddecideifemergencyconditionspersistoriffederal interventionisnolongernecessary.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Blackpeoplecomprisemorethan40%oftheD.C.population,andthis executiveorderwilldisproportionatelyimpactBlackcommunitiesbecause itcontributestooverpolicinginBlackcommunitiesandfurthercriminalizes homelessness.
Thisexecutiveorder,combinedwithPresidentTrump’sdeploymentofthe NationalGuardandICEofficials,willlikelyincreaseBlackAmericans’ interactionswithlawenforcementofficialsinaharmfulway.A2020study foundthatexpandingpoliceforcesincitieswiththelargestBlack populationsdisproportionatelyincreasedlow-levelarrestswithout equivalentpublicsafetybenefits.Moreover,a2023auditofpolice movementsfoundthatpoliceofficersspendsignificantlymoretimein Blackneighborhoodsthanotherareaswithsimilarsocioeconomic demographicsandcrimerates.In2023,over90%ofpeopleintheD.C. DepartmentofCorrectionswereBlack,andthisorderwouldlikelyincrease thatpercentage,bringingmorepeopleintothecarceralsystem.The federalizationoftheMPDcouldalsocontributetoincreasedpoliceviolence forBlackDCresidents.From2018-2020,BlackAmericansweremorethan twiceaslikelyaswhiteAmericanstoexperienceathreatornonfataluseof forceduringpoliceinteractions.In2024,25%ofindividualskilledbythe policeintheUSwereBlack,althoughBlackpeopleonlycomprise14.4%of theU.S.population.
HomelessnessisaseriousconcernforBlackcommunitiesinDC,asover 75%ofunaccompaniedunhousedindividualsinD.C.areBlack.D.C. homelesssheltersareconsistentlyfullandovercrowded,and homelessnessrateshaveincreasedovertime.PresidentTrumphas signedmultipleexecutiveordersthatimpactedunhousedpopulations.On March14,hesignedanexecutiveorderlimitingthefundingoftheUnited StatesInteragencyCouncilonHomelessness,anorganizationthat addresseshomelessnessacrosstheUnitedStates,andcurrently,thefull staffisonadministrativeleave.OnMarch28,heissuedanexecutiveorder whereheabolishedencampmentsonfederalland,displacingunhoused people.OnJuly24,hereleasedanexecutiveorderthatmadeiteasierfor statesandmunicipalitiestohospitalizepeoplepresumedtobehavinga mentalhealthcrisisandunhousedindividualswithouttheirconsent. Together,theseexecutiveorderswillhaveasignificantimpactonlowincomeBlackcommunitiesandcouldleadtoincreasedincarceration rates.
CongresswomanEleanorHolmesNortonhasrepresentedWashington, DCinCongresssince1991andisthelongestservingmemberofthe CongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC).CongresswomanNortonissuedthe followingstatementinresponsetothisexecutiveorder:
“PresidentTrump’sdecisiontofederalizeMPDandactivatetheD.C. NationalGuardtoaddresscrimeisanhistoricassaultonD.C.home rule,isacounterproductive,escalatoryseizureofD.C.’sresourcesto useforpurposesnotsupportedbyD.C.residents,andismore evidenceoftheurgentneedtopassmyD.C.statehoodbill.Crimein D.C.reacheda30-yearlowin2024andisdown26%thisyear comparedtothesametimeperiodlastyear.Theadministrationis justifyingthedecisionbymisleadinglycitingyears-oldstatistics.”Full Statement