FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 14, 2025

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration’s takeover of Washington, DC police and mobilization of National Guard troops to the capital “assaults both human dignity and the moral responsibility to care for our neighbors,” said Laurie Carafone, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. Full statement follows:

“The Trump administration’s ploy to nationalize and militarize the District of Columbia assaults both human dignity and the moral responsibility to care for our neighbors. Just as we have seen in LA, President Trump’s rationale for militarizing our neighborhoods is an old racist trope that leads to less safety, not more. If the President is serious about supporting safety in DC, he should call on the GOP Congress to release the over $1 billion of DC taxpayer funds that was stolen from our city – funding intended for violence prevention, police, firefighters, and education, among other core services. This cynical attack flies in the face of our values of faith, justice, and what it means to be people living in a free and open society.”

Founded by Catholic Sisters in 1971, NETWORK is an inclusive, national, Catholic advocacy organization open to all who share our values, working for justice and equity for everyone. For 53 years, NETWORK has educated, organized, and lobbied for federal policies that serve the common good and honor the dignity of all people. 

# # #