On August 11th, President Trump mobilized the National Guard to patrol the District of Columbia under the guise of restoring public safety.
Around the same time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) meaningfully ramped up enforcement, with roughly 1,200 arrests in the most of mid-Aug through mid-Sept.
By many accounts, the visible presence off troops and agents and accompanying surge in immigration enforcement had a chilling effect on the city:
“My workers are afraid,” said Luis Reyes, who owns several Washington dining spots. “Some of them quit. If you see the news, they detain people, even with permits. Some of them said they’ll come back when things cool off.”