It’s time to Free DC: Tell your representatives to support DC statehood
 

Since taking office, Trump has exploited federal control over the District of Columbia to trample on its residents’ rights. Now, politically motivated National Guard deployments — and an unprecedented takeover of the city’s police force — has militarized our nation’s capital. 

Members of Congress need to hear from people like you who support democracy for ALL Americans. Tell your representatives in Congress to support DC statehood and return control of the city to its residents. 
 

Please take action right now — it only takes a moment to help us reach our 5,000 signature goal >>

Friend — In our nation’s capital, National Guard troops wearing camo and bulletproof gear are standing guard in busy Metro stations. Humvees and Guard troops are positioned outside our museums and alongside our national monuments. Checkpoints are springing up in neighborhoods. Donald Trump has seized control of the local Washington, DC police and is launching a military occupation of the city.

For far too long, residents of the District of Columbia have lacked full control of their local government. Without full voting members of Congress, DC residents — predominantly people of color — have limited control over decisions that impact their health and safety, their communities, and their government. It's a system intentionally designed to disenfranchise and limit the power of the Black community and other communities of color, and it’s why we’ve long supported DC statehood.

Given the recent deployment of armed forces in Los Angeles and Trump’s threat to expand military deployments to other cities, it’s clear that we all must take action to oppose this power grab. Deploying the National Guard and taking over the police force in the nation’s capital is a direct attack on our freedoms and the safety of communities across the country. 

The bedrock of our democracy is that power belongs to the people, and the 700,000 residents of DC deserve the same power, freedoms and protections as the rest of the country. 

We’ve set a goal for 5,000 LCV members to write to their representatives and demand that Congress support DC statehood. It only takes a moment — please take action right now >>

Instead of making our communities safer, this administration is instituting a political power grab. And at the same time, the Trump administration and his allies in Congress cut $1 billion of DC taxpayers’ own money from DC’s budget, crippling their ability to protect residents and keep communities safe.

Trump is wasting our federal and local resources and is using military members against their own communities. His administration’s extreme and politicized Justice Department cannot be trusted with good faith law enforcement — they must get their hands off of DC, and Congress must immediately grant DC its long-overdue statehood to restore local control.

Friend — equal rights for the people of DC will only happen if people like you make their voices heard.

Please, take action today: it only takes a moment to demand that your representatives in Congress support DC statehood, bringing us closer to our 5,000 signature goal >>

Thank you for standing up and making your voice heard. 

Doug Lindner
Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy

League of Conservation Voters