The Department of the Interior announced Wednesday that it is deputizing federal border agents to serve alongside U.S. Park Police at National Park sites, becoming the latest to join President Donald Trump’s D.C. takeover.
“Interior has authorized a service-wide deputization of [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] officers to serve alongside [U.S. Park Police] and intensify crime deterrence efforts on [National Park Services] sites,” Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum wrote on X. “Thank you to these brave officers who are working 24/7 to enforce POTUS’ directive to make D.C. safe again!”
The post did not mention if federal border agents were only being sent to National Park sites in D.C., and the Interior Department declined to comment further than the secretary’s post on X.
The Washington Examiner also contacted CBP and NPS for comment.
Following the announcement on social media, Burgum later posted on X, “Energy Security = National Security. It’s just that simple!”
There are many National Park sites in D.C., including heavy tourist spots like the National Mall and Ford’s Theater.
National Park sites are typically under the U.S. Park Police’s purview. Since Trump’s federal takeover of the district, there has been a surge in law enforcement, including the National Guard, at sites such as the National Mall.
Since the surge began, there has been an 83% decrease in carjackings, a 46% decrease in robberies, and a 22% decrease in violent crime, according to the D.C. Police Union.
HOW JEANINE PIRRO IS RESHAPING CRIME ENFORCEMENT IN DC
Many agencies and even other states are involved in the law enforcement surge. Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi joined West Virginia, Ohio, and South Carolina in deploying National Guard troops to support the 800 D.C. National Guardsmen.
The Interior Department declined to comment about which National Park sites CBP officers will be located at, or when this will begin.