WASHINGTON, D.C. — I just spent a week in the nation’s capital documenting President Trump's federal occupation of an American city.

Residents I spoke with during the week were appalled but not surprised by such a political move.

“This show of force is nothing but political,” one resident told me during my visit.

During my time in the city, National Guard members looked bored, almost unconcerned about crime, standing in front of armored vehicles like props in a photo opportunity.

Some tourists from Ireland who had just arrived at Union Station were taking selfies with them.

Mayor Muriel Bowser has said that while overall crime, including carjackings, has fallen since Trump’s federal surge, the presence of ICE agents and National Guard troops “is not working” and has left many residents “living in fear.”

I was at Union Station on August 20 when Vice President JD Vance, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth showed up to thank the troops at a hamburger joint inside the station. Their presence was unwelcome among demonstrators, who heckled the vice president as he attempted to speak to the media. A couple of days later, the president conducted a similar stunt at a different location.

I didn't see military deployment at the monuments, the Capitol, or the White House. If the city were so dangerous, wouldn't they be there?

The day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders met with President Trump, a peaceful protest took place outside the White House without any incidents.

The peacefulness of the city, however, was interrupted by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) conducting raids, with local police assisting. On one occasion, the main freeway was completely halted because police had conducted a traffic stop, called ICE on the drivers, and at least seven black ICE vehicles were present along with half a dozen local police cars. Two immigrants were detained. Such an excessive amount of law enforcement — ICE wearing face coverings — was used to detain two peaceful drivers coming back from a day of work.

The local restaurant industry and shops have been affected. Restaurant workers were being sent home after working just two hours because customers were not showing up.

“We are working, honest people, trying to feed our families and contribute to the economy,” one female restaurant worker said.

As I was strolling the Wharf, five DEA agents were patrolling on foot. I asked them what the purpose of their patrolling was. After asking them several times, the officer answered me.

“Safety,” he said.

“It is pretty safe here, lots of tourists, and it’s obviously not needed,” I said.

The agents ignored my reply and walked away.

Francisco Lozano is a freelance photojournalist and writer based in Los Angeles. He was born in El Salvador and immigrated to the U.S. during the war in 1984.

Wildfire Firefighters Arrested: From the Seattle Times, “The two firefighters arrested at the Bear Gulch fire had entered the U.S. illegally, according to a news release Thursday from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”

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