Reversing its “sanctuary” policies, Washington, DC police will collaborate with federal immigration enforcement, after the Trump administration took control of the local force.
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said officers can now share information on a limited basis with federal immigration agents, including during routine interactions like traffic stops. Smith announced the move in an executive order that takes effect Aug. 14.
It marks a significant shift from DC policies meant to prevent local police from cooperating on federal immigration enforcement. The goal of “sanctuary” policies has been to build trust and encourage immigrant communities to report crime.
President Donald Trump placed DC police under federal management on Aug. 11 and deployed federal troops and agents into the nation’s capital, saying he wanted to fight crime and homelessness. He said the city was overrun with “violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals,” despite a declining crime rate.
In her order, Smith said officers “may assist federal immigration enforcement agencies” by “sharing information about persons not in MPD custody (e.g., during traffic stops)” and by “providing transportation for federal immigration agency employees and detained subjects.”
NBC Washington first made the order public on X.
Trump welcomed the move when asked about it Aug. 14.
“That’s a great step if they’re doing that,” he said. “I think it’s going to happen all over the country.”
Neither Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office nor DC police immediately responded to a request for comment.
The ACLU of DC called the police chief’s order “dangerous and unnecessary.”
“Immigration enforcement is not the role of local police – and when law enforcement aligns itself with ICE, it fosters fear among DC residents, regardless of citizenship status,” the civil rights organization said in a post on X.
Still, the order limits police officers from reviewing a person’s immigration status. Officers may not search immigration databases, nor can they ask about immigration status. Officers also can’t arrest people solely on federal immigration warrants or detainers, unless there is a criminal warrant or underlying offense to arrest the person.
They also can’t subject people in local custody to questioning by federal agents, or hold people at the request of federal immigration enforcement agencies.
While the nation’s capital has had sanctuary policies, its governing structure is determined in large part by the federal government.
The Trump administration has faced tougher hurdles trying to stop other so-called sanctuary jurisdictions from limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Trump has ongoing court challenges against other cities, counties and states with sanctuary laws and policies.
Trump’s Justice Department earlier this month listed DC among localities it called sanctuary jurisdictions.
In an Aug. 14 post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said the FBI and partner agencies had made 45 arrests in DC the night before: 29 immigration-related, 16 tied to the violent crime and three firearm seizures.
Contributing: Joey Garrison, Lauren Villagran USA TODAY
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DC police can now assist feds in immigration enforcement, chief says
