Trump signs order to launch task force aimed at making DC safer, cleaner

• President Trump signed an executive order to improve safety and cleanliness in Washington, D.C. The order establishes a task force to collaborate with federal and local agencies to address crime, enforce immigration laws, and clean up public spaces.
• Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton criticized the task force for not including Washington officials and for ignoring local needs.
• The order includes efforts to restore monuments, clean graffiti and remove homeless encampments.

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, March 27, aimed at improving the safety and cleanliness of Washington, D.C. The order establishes a new task force that will work closely with local and federal agencies to address crime, clean up the city and make public spaces more appealing.

What department will oversee the plan?

The task force will collaborate with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the ATF and various attorney offices across Washington, Maryland and Virginia to enhance public safety and enforce immigration laws.

The goal is to streamline the concealed carry license process and address crime in key areas. They include public parks, monuments and roadways.

The task force will work to ensure effective federal involvement in several key areas. It will focus on enforcing federal immigration laws to the fullest extent, redirecting federal, state and local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport immigrants illegally in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

The task force will also monitor Washington’s sanctuary city status, ensuring compliance with federal immigration law enforcement.

In collaboration with local leadership and unions, the task force will help the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with recruitment, retention and enhancement of officer capabilities while leveraging federal resources and expertise to reduce crime.

Congresswoman’s criticism of task force

The move has faced criticism from local officials, including Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington, D.C.’s representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. Norton called the creation of the task force “an insult” to the 700,000 residents of Washington. She also said it ignores the local population’s needs and does not represent their interests.

“The task force created by the executive order would not include a single D.C. official to represent the interests of the people who reside within the District,” Norton said in a statement.

Norton also disputed claims made by the White House that crime in the District is at near-historic highs. She points to a 2024 Department of Justice report that states violent crime dropped by 35%.

Plan to revitalize DC and tackle homelessness

Trump’s executive order also includes efforts to restore and maintain Washington’s monuments, clean up graffiti and revitalize public spaces. The secretary of the interior will oversee the restoration of federal land and the removal of homeless encampments from federal properties.

On March 5, Trump publicly urged Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser to clear homeless encampments in the city. Trump posted on Truth Social that if Bowser failed to do so, he would step in to handle the issue directly. Mayor Bowser responded by stating that the city had already been addressing the issue through established programs and protocols before Trump’s directive.

Task force to expand its reach

The new task force also has the discretion to enlist additional local, state and federal agencies as needed. It will target crime within the Metropolitan Area Transit Authority system, ensure dangerous individuals stay off the streets and work to increase law enforcement presence in high-traffic areas.

While Trump’s executive order does not directly mention Mayor Bowser or other Washington officials, it underscores the administration’s push for federal involvement in the city’s public safety and beautification efforts.