U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro highlighted steep declines in violent crime during a community meeting, even as residents voiced concerns about masked federal agents, increased immigration enforcement, and new federal policies aimed at harsher punishments.
Pirro’s remarks came during a post-surge accountability forum hosted by the 3rd District Citizens Advisory Council, which covers Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Mount Pleasant, Shaw, Logan Circle, and Bloomingdale.
During the nearly hourlong discussion, Pirro credited President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge across the District with producing sharp drops in violent crime. She said homicides are down 53%, robberies have fallen 59%, and violent crime overall is down between 39% and 40%.
“No one can deny that crime has gone down,” Pirro said. “That there is a deterrent effect. That people are not as willing to shoot, carjackor, stab. And by the way, do you know what’s up? Stabbings, because we’re taking the guns away.”
City leaders have maintained that crime was already declining before the federal surge. Several residents challenged Pirro’s assertions, with some wearing “Free DC” shirts and vocally opposing her remarks. One person was escorted from the room after a confrontation.
“It’s like we’re walking in two different cities,” resident Athena Viscusi said. “She’s seeing some city of lawless people that need to be yanked off the streets, and I see a city of people who are trying to go about their lives, take their kids to school, do their jobs and are being yanked off the streets.”
The extra federal resources have remained in the District even after the city’s crime emergency expired. Despite the reported improvements, prosecutors have dismissed nearly a dozen surge-related cases, according to the Associated Press.
The forum coincided with a new executive order from Trump restoring the federal death penalty nationwide and directing prosecutors to seek it in Washington for the most serious crimes.
In an Oval Office signing, Trump said the order applies to “especially aggravated crimes,” including homicides and the killing of police officers.
“If you kill somebody, or if you kill a police officer, you should know what the punishment is,” Trump said.
The order reverses a moratorium put in place by former President Joe Biden and directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Pirro to pursue capital punishment “to the maximum extent practicable” in death-penalty-eligible cases.
D.C. abolished capital punishment in 1981, but prosecutors may still seek the death penalty under federal law. The Justice Department is weighing whether to pursue capital punishment in the case of two Israeli Embassy staffers killed in Washington, though the presiding judge has urged caution, The Hill reported.
Pirro said she chose to attend Thursday’s forum after seeing how animated community members had become in response to the surge. Karen Gaal, the Citizens Advisory Council chairwoman, described the earlier meeting that prompted Pirro’s appearance as “passionate.”
She defended the presence of masked agents, saying some cover their faces to avoid becoming targets. “I’m not here to argue that issue,” she said. “My job is to protect. My job is to prosecute. My job is to support those guys, and if you would prefer that they not be here, then you’re going to be dealing with the juveniles who are out of control.”
Pirro also said she is working with Congress and Bowser on changes that would expand her office’s ability to prosecute juveniles as adults. Currently, only charges such as murder, armed robbery, first-degree rape and burglary qualify.
“You can’t repeatedly allow young people committing violent crimes to go to ice cream socials and yoga, because that’s what they do,” she said.
Pirro added that her office is down more than 70 prosecutors and 150 staff members, and she noted ongoing bipartisan negotiations over police resources.
“There is no Republican or Democratic way to protect the people of the District,” Pirro said.