DC lawmakers want to send National Guard troops home, as Trump administration calls for more patrols

Anxious parents told of National Guard troops huddling near their children’s schools; another D.C. resident described walking his dog on what he’s come to call “Jump Out Thursdays” when federal troops appear moments after police perform a traffic stop or cite someone for an infraction.

It was part of a daylong hearing by the D.C. Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, where committee chair Councilmember Brooke Pinto expressed the hope that the impact of Tuesday’s midterm elections could help address residents’ concerns.

“We have five newly elected Democratic governors as of Tuesday night,” Pinto said. Then, addressing those governors directly, she said, “This could be something you do on your first day of office, is bring home your troops.” Pinto also suggested that the election put congressional Democrats in a position to flex their political muscle on behalf of the District.

The council committee discussed three bills, all designed to increase oversight of police use of force, cooperation with federal troops and law enforcement agencies, and how arrests are reported to the public.

Miles Duffy, whose daughter attends Bruce-Monroe Elementary School, told the panel that after seeing troops near his child’s school, he was moved to stop and take photos of the troops and police. “And I’ll never forget my 6-year-old daughter saying in a panicked voice, ‘Please don’t Daddy, I’m scared. I’m scared they’ll take someone or kill someone.'”

Emily Howell, another D.C. resident whose child also goes to Bruce-Monroe, told council members, “I’ve seen children put in handcuffs, I’ve been cat-called by the National Guard, and admonished by DEA agents for caring about illegal aliens.”

Jillian Burford, a policy organizer with the group Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, told the council members, “Do not normalize the occupation. Your constituents deserve better. We all deserve a safe and beautiful D.C., but not like this,” she said.

D.C.’s interim police chief Jeffrey Carroll testified and was asked repeatedly about the police department’s policy on immigration enforcement and how the Metropolitan Police Department works with the National Guard and federal law enforcement authorities.

At one point, while answering D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker’s question, Carroll said, “This is a situation that we’re in that we didn’t ask for, and we’re trying to do the best that we can,” referring to the District’s status in relation to the federal government.

Parker broke in, saying, “I understand that, but I think that the frustration from the public is that we can clearly see it’s happening, but the message from the executive and the police force is ‘oh, don’t believe your eyes, it’s not happening, we’re not coordinating.'”

Again, referring to the federal government’s authority, and the presence of the National Guard and federal law enforcement agencies, Carroll told lawmakers, “We’re not in control of them, or able to provide particular oversight of them, but again we want to channel them in a way that’s the best for our city, because this is our city and we want to make sure that it’s protected.”

The move for additional oversight from D.C. lawmakers comes at the same time Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is working to add up to 60 more military police cars, tactical vehicles, and even patrol boats to put at the disposal of National Guard troops in the District of Columbia.

As the hearing wound down, Pinto said, “I’m really concerned that we don’t have more insight into the federal officer deployments within MPD,” but the council would continue to work with the police department on that question, along with efforts to establish more oversight through the legislation.

Before bringing the hearing to an end, Pinto said, “We need to work in partnership with our allies in Congress to make sure that we’re protected in the District and not continued to be used as a guinea pig, as a punching bag, as just an outrageous example of what can go wrong when we have an administration with no accountability.”

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