President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday establishing the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.
The goal is to make D.C. “the pride of every American to whom it belongs,” according to the White House.
The task force, which the White House said will include members of “key government agencies,” is directed to increase police presence in public areas, maximize immigration enforcement, expedite concealed carry licenses and crack down on Metro fare evasion.
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The task force will help the Metropolitan Police Department with recruitment and retention of police officers, the White House said.
The order also creates a program to “beautify Washington, D.C.” That includes restoration of federal buildings and monuments and removing graffiti and clearing homeless encampments, which Trump promised during his campaign.
D.C. delegate, residents push back
Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.’s delegate to Congress, blasted the order, saying crime is down and defending the District’s immigration laws.
“The task force created by the EO 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.
During a community meeting with Ed Martin, Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney for D.C., Thursday, community members pushed back on the president’s claims that crime is on the rise in D.C.
“Mr. Trump is a violator of the law, of the Constitution and does not care about the District of Columbia. Our crime is down,” resident Robert Vinson said. “When the president speaks about making D.C. safe again, D.C. is safe.”
Many residents at the meeting questioned what Trump’s effort would look like.
Just to give you some perspective, a representative for D.C.police said overall total violent crime is down 27% from this time last year.
What President Trump has said about D.C.
Earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent letters to Amtrak, Metro and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser asking the agencies to produce a report on crime and safety within 30 days.
In February, Trump said he supports putting D.C. directly under federal control.
“I think that we should govern District of Columbia,” Trump said. “It’s so important, the D.C. situation. I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely, flawlessly beautiful, and I think we should take over Washington, D.C., make it safe.”
He also said he likes Bowser.
“I get along great with the mayor,” he said. “But they’re not doing the job. Too much crime. Too much graffiti. Too many tents on the lawns – these magnificent lawns, and there’s tents. And, you know, it’s a sad thing.”
News4 has reached out to the mayor's office for comment on the executive order.
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