WASHINGTON, D.C. — Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau, D-Ward 1, issued the following statement today regarding the Executive Order on the creation of a new emergency operations center in response to federal occupation of the District.

With her latest executive order, the Mayor of our city has again signaled her plan to collaborate indefinitely with federal law enforcement, to capitulate in advance. This in the face of the Administration’s egregious takeover of a city of 700,000 residents, who have made clear their disdain for federal occupation. 

By her words and actions, she has welcomed the federal police patrolling our streets. The masked agents taking people away. The unidentified officers arresting unhoused neighbors. The law enforcement intimidating and harassing people in our neighborhoods. 

Her Executive Order turns its back on our valued community members, on immigrants – the vast majority of whom are long-term residents living here legally, on the unhoused, on workers, low-income and minority residents, and on all of us who cherish our beautiful city, who are proud to call DC home, and disdain a militarized federal law enforcement presence. 

The Bowser Executive Order is an insulting affront to the many government leaders and residents who care for all of their neighbors, who have acted boldly and creatively to protect one another from intimidation, profiling, and detainment, standing up to say that residents of the District will resist and that the federal occupation of our District is not OK, is not warranted, and is not welcome.    

All District leaders should stand strong against the brazen spread of authoritarian rule. Chicago needs to know. Baltimore needs to know. And all the cities that may be next need to know: this executive order from the Mayor is the wrong approach. It does not represent who we are.  

With this executive order, the Mayor doesn’t speak for me and doesn’t speak for the vast majority of the residents of the District of Columbia. 

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