The White House has followed through on its promise to ramp-up law enforcement in the nation's capital with National Guard troops and federal officers on the streets around the clock.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says this is a multi-agency task force put together by the president, the attorney general and secretary of defense.
“There are 19 agencies that were working together across seven districts (Wednesday) night, and I have some updated statistics for you. Overnight there were 45 criminal arrests made for assault, second and first degree. There were arrests made for the distribution of illegal drugs and narcotics that have now been removed off the streets. There were three illegal firearms that were seized. And in addition to that there were 29 illegal aliens who were removed off of Washington, D.C. streets last night, many of whom had final orders of removal."
Unlike in other U.S. states and cities, the law gives Trump the power to take over Washington's police for up to 30 days. However, extending Trump's power over the city for longer would require approval from Congress.
For now, Guard troops are making an impact. Roughly 400 of them had reported for duty in the city by Wednesday night, according to Fox News.
The number is expected to reach 800 by week’s end.
Guardsmen were spotted rolling in on military vehicles near the National Mall Wednesday evening. Troops gathered at the D.C. armory before deploying near monuments and near a U.S. Park building in the crime-ridden neighborhood of Anacostia in southeast D.C.
In addition to sending in the Guard, Trump placed D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department under federal control, Fox News reported.
