Over 40% of arrests in Trump’s DC law enforcement surge relate to immigration, AP analysis finds

Members of the National Guard patrol Lafayette Park by the White House Friday Aug in Washington while protester Will Roosien of Grand Rapids Mich who says he hopes to inspire others of his generation to protest holds up a sign about the MAGA movement AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin AP Jacquelyn Martin Members of the National Guard patrol Lafayette Park by the White House Friday Aug in Washington while protester Will Roosien of Grand Rapids Mich who says he hopes to inspire others of his generation to protest holds up a sign about the MAGA movement AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin AP Jacquelyn Martin WASHINGTON AP President Donald Trump has portrayed his federal law enforcement surge in Washington as focused on tackling crime But details from the federal operation analyzed by The Associated Press shows that more than of the arrests made over the monthlong operation were in fact related to immigration The finding highlights that in the nation s capital the administration continued to advance its hardline immigration agenda The Trump administration has claimed success in the federal takeover in D C saying it has led to more than arrests including more than a dozen homicide subjects alleged gang members and hundreds of people accused of drug and gun crimes More than illegal guns have been taken off the street including in one incident from a teen who made a concerning social media post about a school authorities explained Yet the prominence of immigration arrests more than people has fueled criticism that the true purpose of the operation may have been to expand deportations For critics the effort appears less a one-off push against crime in the capital than a model for federal intervention and the highlighting of violent crime in other cities led by Democratic mayors a familiar political playbook that Trump leaned on during the campaign Already officers in Chicago long a foil for the administration s law-and-order rhetoric were bracing for an influx of immigration agents and possibly National Guard troops Trump himself fanned speculation over the weekend posting on social media a parody image from Apocalypse Now with helicopters looming over Chicago and the caption I love the smell of deportations in the morning The administration has repeatedly argued that deportations are inseparable from crime reduction often casting those arrested by immigration executives as the worst of the worst Still it remains unclear how a great number of of those taken into custody in Washington had any other charges pending In a announcement White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson disclosed multiple had prior arrests convictions or outstanding warrants for crimes like assault drug possession and child sexual abuse without specifying a number Source