Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
In these trying times for the District, I am more aware than ever of the importance of coming together to celebrate our communities and everything that makes us proud to call Ward 5 home. To that end, I hope you are making plans to join us for Ward 5 Week (September 15-19) and Ward 5 Day (September 20) next week!
Federal Overreach and Anti-DC Bills in the House
This week, the “30-day emergency” declared by President Trump that enabled his administration to request the services of MPD for federal purposes expired. The Mayor has indicated that MPD will revert back to its “pre-emergency operations,” (which presumably means they will not be cooperating with ICE operations). However, I caution neighbors against a false sense of security as we know ICE raids are ongoing in the District, including one that occurred in Ward 5 today. We expect National Guard members and federal officers to remain in DC for the foreseeable future. The Mayor’s executive order indicates that there will be cooperation from District agencies “to the maximum extent allowable by law.” While the end of this manufactured “emergency” is a good thing and I am glad Congress did not vote to extend it, we are still facing an unnecessary and unprecedented infringement on local governance.
