WASHINGTON — The American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia (ACLU-D.C.) today urged the D.C. Council to pass the “Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Amendment Act of 2026," a piece of emergency legislation that would require D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to document federal agent involvement in arrests and to release body-worn camera footage when federal agents use force, among other measures. This bill is on the D.C. Council agenda for a vote today.
“If a federal agent arrests or hurts someone, we should know the who, what, when, where, and why. Community policing depends on trust—and that trust disappears when people fear that reporting a crime could lead to deportation, unfounded imprisonment, or racial profiling. We cannot allow anyone in our nation’s capital to be abducted or hurt by federal agents. If they do this, it should not remain a secret,” said Monica Hopkins, executive director at the ACLU-D.C. “Today’s legislation can help rein in Trump’s abuses and protect D.C. residents and visitors on the streets of our nation’s capital. We urge every D.C. Councilmember to vote yes on this bill.”
“For decades, federal agents have been shielded from responsibility for misconduct, even in cases of clear abuse. In fact, the ACLU-D.C. has been fighting for over five years in court to hold federal officers accountable for their roles in the brutal crackdown on racial justice demonstrators in Lafayette Square under the first Trump administration,” said Scott Michelman, legal director at the ACLU-D.C. “Today’s legislation would help answer questions that the people of D.C. have been asking for months: who is arresting people in our streets, what are the reasons for their arrests, and what happens when federal agents use force in our neighborhoods? Today’s emergency bill is a first step toward preventing federal officers from abusing their power.”
At-Large Councilmember Robert White introduced the “Full Accountability in Arrest Reporting Amendment Act of 2026," on February 27, 2026, amid unanswered questions about D.C. police involvement with federal immigration arrests. The legislation is co-sponsored by seven other D.C. Councilmembers: Crawford (At-Large), Nadeau (Ward 1), Allen (Ward 6), Parker (Ward 5), Lewis George (Ward 4), Felder (Ward 7), and T. White (Ward 8).
Under the District’s Charter, the Council can enact “emergency” legislation more quickly than permanent legislation, and these bills can be in effect for up to 90 days. While the Mayor still reviews emergency bills, they are not subject to review by Congress under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973.
For more information on D.C. home rule, go to: https://www.acludc.org/news/dc-home-rule-what-it-how-it-works-and-why-it-matters/
For more information on the ongoing Lafayette Square protest case, go to: https://www.acludc.org/cases/black-lives-matter-dc-v-trump-challenging-federal-officers-unprovoked-attack-civil-rights/
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