WASHINGTON – The League of Women Voters and the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia issued the following joint statement in response to President Trump deploying the National Guard to Washington, DC, and taking over the DC Metropolitan Police Department:  

“Today President Trump fabricated yet another emergency as the basis to abuse his power and target his perceived political enemies. He painted an inaccurate picture of the District of Columbia, scapegoating people experiencing homelessness and targeting trans persons, some of the most vulnerable among us.  

“The reality is that Washington, DC, is experiencing a 30-year low in violent crime — a stark contrast to the grim and misleading picture painted by the President. Like every community in our nation, our capital and its residents deserve safety and security — but we also deserve leaders who respect facts, uphold democratic principles, and protect the civil liberties of us all. Public policy must be driven by evidence, not fearmongering. The President must work with mayors, not against them. 

“The Home Rule Act gave DC residents a voice in their own governance, despite the District’s lack of full voting representation in Congress. This takeover undermines that principle, silencing the voices of more than 700,000 people — most of them Black and brown residents — who already face the injustice of taxation without representation. 

“The League calls on Congress to fully investigate the legality of this action, ensure transparency, and guard against any misuse of federal authority. We call on individuals to contact their members of Congress to demand immediate oversight hearing and oppose actions that undermine peaceful assembly or criminalize urban cities.  

 “The League of Women Voters will continue to defend the right of all communities to self-determination and to hold those in power accountable to the people they serve.” 

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