NEWS: Ward One Dems Call on DC Leaders to End Unlawful Cooperation With Ice, Demand Oversight from Council
Group says federal involvement in local policing undermines public trust and violates DC law
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 28, 2025
Media Contact:
Brad Howard, Corresponding Secretary
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WASHINGTON – The Ward One Democrats are calling on Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Council to immediately end all unlawful cooperation between the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing ongoing joint enforcement activity that undermines DC’s sanctuary law and community trust.
In a formal resolution adopted by the organization’s governing body, the Ward One Democrats called on District leaders to fully enforce the Sanctuary Values Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-282), a law that limits District agencies from assisting federal immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. The group also demanded that the DC Council conduct the oversight necessary to ensure full compliance by MPD and all other District agencies, warning that continued unlawful collaboration between MPD and ICE “erodes public trust and violates the spirit and letter of DC law.”
“DC’s sanctuary law is only meaningful if it’s enforced,” said Alex Baca, Chair of the Ward One Democrats. “The Mayor and the Council should make it absolutely clear that MPD will not participate in immigration enforcement and conduct the oversight necessary to ensure the department’s compliance.”
The resolution also condemns the actions of ICE in the District and in Ward One, carried out under directives from the Trump administration and enabled by congressional Republicans, and denounces the use of face coverings, plainclothes, and unmarked vehicles by ICE agents operating in DC neighborhoods to conceal their identities and intimidate residents.
“DC's sanctuary law is a solemn commitment to protect all residents, yet MPD’s ongoing collaboration with ICE blatantly violates it with little to no oversight from Council,” said Michelle Chappell, Executive Committee member and author of the resolution. “As Democrats who believe in home rule and human dignity, we demand the Mayor and the DC Council make compliance a priority and provide the necessary oversight to immediately stop any and all unlawful cooperation with ICE. We urge all of our local leaders to reaffirm DC as a true sanctuary city where every resident feels safe and valued.”
The Ward One Democrats are also encouraging residents to safely and lawfully document any MPD cooperation with ICE and to upload recordings to filmthepolicedc.org. The group has also demanded oversight by the DC Council’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee specifically into MPD’s continued cooperation with ICE and the resulting civil-rights violations affecting DC residents.
The full text of the resolution can be viewed or downloaded here.
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About the Ward One Democrats:
Ward One Democrats is the official Democratic Party organization for Ward 1 in Washington, D.C.—home to more than 40,000 registered Democrats and the city’s most racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse neighborhoods, including Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, Mount Pleasant, Park View, and LeDroit Park. We bring together neighbors to strengthen the Democratic Party, support its candidates, and encourage civic participation across our diverse community. Learn more at Ward1Democrats.org!
Media Contact:
Brad Howard, Corresponding Secretary
Ward One Democrats
Click here to email
