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Dear Neighbor,
Together, DC honored Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday through the annual peace walk and rally in Anacostia and I was proud to join thousands of my neighbors in community in our shared continued march towards justice, equality, and peace. Dr. King's legacy of fighting for racial equality, social justice, and nonviolent protest reminds us all to recommit ourselves to achieving his dream of freedom, justice, and equality for all. Unfortunately, many people in the District and nationwide right now are facing injustices and are fearful for the path ahead as the federal immigration policies are leading to real traumatization, terror, and separation of families in our immigrant communities. Here in DC, this federal focus on civil immigration enforcement targeting our residents is unwelcome and undermining to safety, and I want to give you an important update on my ongoing oversight of our local police department as it relates to our immigrant neighbors.
Last month, joined by every member of the DC Council, I sent a letter to MPD asking for more information on the federal presence across public safety agencies, arrest and deployment data, and clarity around our crime collection processes. Last week, we received a response from MPD generally outlining the state of affairs with the federal government. Unfortunately, the response was disappointing and inadequate. While I appreciate MPD providing a response to our letter about the general state of affairs with federal entities and their ongoing deeper review regarding crime statistics, their response does not provide the detailed information our letter requested and many questions remain unanswered. The Council and the public need answers to these questions to better understand how the last several months have been handled with increased federal presence in our city and to inform where we go from here to ensure the safety of all residents and visitors. You can read MPD’s full response to my letter here.
I look forward to continuing to work with MPD to get these questions addressed and we will do so during the upcoming performance oversight process and hearing we are holding over the next several weeks. The Committee, the Council, and the public deserve clarity on these important questions. As we continue to explore ways to protect our residents locally, we are continuing to advocate to Members of Congress to ramp up their oversight and appropriations authority to ensure federal agencies like ICE are held accountable and following the law; much more must be done to rein in ICE by the federal government.
Finally, I am sending my deepest condolences to Metropolitan Police Officer Terry Bennett’s loved ones and colleagues after he tragically died earlier this month. Officer Bennett succumbed to his injuries after he was struck by a vehicle while assisting a driver on I-695 in December in the line of duty. Our local MPD officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our city safe and no officer should be killed while doing their job. This is a devastating loss for his family, the Metropolitan Police Department, and for the District and I join my neighbors in sending my prayers and gratitude to his entire family for his deep commitment to serving and bettering our community.
Yours in service,
Brooke
In this Newsletter you will find:
- Legislative Updates
- In the Community
- In the News
- Announcements
Legislative Updates
PERFORMANCE OVERSIGHT
The DC Council is in oversight season. Each year, the committee chairs hold oversight hearings for the agencies under their purview. As Chairwoman of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Councilmember Pinto will hold public oversight hearings for all DC public safety agencies.
You can sign up to testify by finding the hearing link you’re interested in on the Council website: https:// lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings/
COUNCILMEMBER PINTO’S SUPPORTIVE HOUSING BILL
On Tuesday, January 13, the DC Council’s Housing Committee held a hearing that included discussion on Councilmember Pinto’s supportive housing bill for returning citizens, Bill 26-201 the Project Homecoming Amendment Act of 2025. As part of Councilmember Pinto’s Peace DC plan, this bill will create a program that facilitates access to affordable housing, economic stability, and community connections for formerly incarcerated people reentering our community.
Each year, thousands of DC residents are released from the DC Department of Corrections, and more than 2,000 individuals return to the District from federal custody. Housing insecurity remains one of the greatest barriers to successful reentry. Without stable housing, returning citizens face increased risks of unemployment, instability and recidivism. This legislation provides direct rental stipends of $1,500 per month to family members, friends, or individuals willing to house a returning citizen. It also ensures returning citizens have access to wraparound reentry services, including counseling, job training, and financial literacy support.
COUNCILMEMBER DONI CRAWFORD SWORN-IN
On Tuesday, January 20th, the DC Council unanimously voted to approve the appointment of Doni Crawford to temporarily fill the vacancy on the Council after former Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie resigned earlier this month. Councilmember Crawford is a former staffer for former Councilmember McDuffie and worked as the Director of the Committee on Business and Economic Development. We welcome her to her new role and look forward to working together to accomplish great things for the residents of the District of Columbia! The Board of Elections will hold a Special Election on June 16th, 2026 to elect someone to fill this role for the remainder of the term who will then serve through 2026.
In the Community
Over the last two weeks, Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto have met with residents, advocacy groups, and local and federal partners across the District, including:
- Joining the dedication of Joe and Mae Hurd All Sports Club Way in Shaw to honor the legacy of the All Sports Club – one of the foundational institutions in DC’s historic U Street “Black Broadway” corridor
- Holding community office hours at Cafe Joy in Shaw to hear from residents about concerns and solutions for our communities
- Celebrating the progress in the redevelopment of Capital One Arena which just completed Phase 1
- Joining ANC 2D to speak with neighbors in Sheridan/Kalorama
- Joining ANC 2B to speak with neighbors in Dupont Circle
- Joining ANC 2C to speak with neighbors in Chinatown, Downtown, and Penn Quarter
- Joining ANC 2F to speak with neighbors in Logan Circle
In the News
WATCH NBC4: “MPD chief responds to concerns from DC Council about ICE cooperation”
“D.C.’s interim police chief sent a letter Saturday to Councilmember Brooke Pinto responding to her letter from last month, in which she pressed for answers about the Metropolitan Police Department’s cooperation with federal agencies...
Pinto, who asked for clarification in her letter — signed by all members of the D.C. Council, said Saturday that while she appreciated MPD providing a response, “Their response does not provide the detailed information our letter requested and many questions remain unanswered.”
She said, "I look forward to continuing to work with MPD to get these questions addressed and we will do so during the upcoming performance oversight process and hearing we are holding in several weeks.”
WATCH WUSA9: “MPD answers questions about collaboration with ICE, Pinto says response is ‘wholly inadequate’”
“On Monday, the Ward 2 Councilmember who chairs the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety told WUSA9 that the letter received on Saturday from interim DC Police Chief Jeffery Carroll did not fully answer the concerns that community members have been demanding for months.
"The response that we got from MPD on Saturday, while I appreciate them getting back to us, was wholly inadequate," Pinto said...
Pinto says she plans to send a follow-up letter to Carroll. "I would like to have specific breakdowns of information around which federal agents are here, how many arrests there have been, what the level of coordination looks like depending on the agency, where deployments are going?"
Announcements
SNOW HEROES PROGRAM
ServeDC – the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships is recruiting volunteers for our Snow Team Heroes program, where residents across the District volunteer to clear snow for seniors and individuals with disabilities, access, and functional needs. Volunteer recruitment is ongoing throughout the winter season, and volunteers will be matched with an individual or individuals who live nearby. We can even provide the shovel, salt, and other supplies to make sure you are well equipped. For more information and to sign up to be a volunteer, visit: snowteam.dc.gov.