By ASHRAF KHALIL, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington, D.C., police chief ordered more cooperation between her officers and federal immigration officials as President Donald Trump’s law enforcement takeover of the nation’s capital took root Thursday. National Guard troops watched over some of the world’s most renowned landmarks and Humvees took up position in front of the busy main train station.

In a city tense from days of ramp-up toward federal law enforcement intervention, volunteers helped homeless people leave long-standing encampments — to where, exactly, was often unclear. The mayor, meanwhile, left town for a family commitment. And the president told reporters that he was pleased at how the operation — and, now, its direct link with his immigration-control efforts — was unfolding.

“That’s a very positive thing, I have heard that just happened,” Trump said of Police Chief Pamela Smith’s order. “That’s a great step. That’s a great step if they’re doing that.”

The police chief’s order establishes that Metropolitan Police Department officers may now share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody — such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint. MPD officers may also provide “transportation for federal immigration employees and detained subject,” the order states.

The changes, which raise collaboration between the two forces in notable ways, are effective immediately. Mayor Muriel Bowser, walking a tightrope between the Republican White House and the constituency of her largely Democratic city, was out of town Thursday for a family commitment in Martha’s Vineyard but would be back Friday, her office said.

A boost in police activity, federal and otherwise

For an already wary Washington, Thursday marked a notable — and highly visible — uptick in presence from the previous two days. The visibility of federal forces around the city, including in many high-traffic areas, was striking to residents going about their lives. Trump has the power to take over federal law enforcement for 30 days before his actions must be reviewed by Congress, though he has said he’ll re-evaluate as that deadline approaches.

The response before Thursday had been gradual and, by all appearances, low key. But on Wednesday night, officers set up a checkpoint in one of D.C.’s popular nightlife areas, drawing protests. The White House said 45 arrests were made Wednesday night, including 29 arrests of people living in the country illegally, including for distribution or possession of drugs, carrying a concealed weapon and assaulting a federal officer.

Troops were stationed outside the Union Station transportation hub as the 800 Guard members who have been activated by Trump start in on missions that include monument security, community safety patrols and beautification efforts, the Pentagon said.

“They will remain until law and order has been restored in the District as determined by the president, standing as the gatekeepers of our great nation’s capital,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said. “The National Guard is uniquely qualified for this mission as a community-based force with strong local ties and disciplined training.”

Wilson said the troops won’t be armed and declined to give more details on what the safety patrols or beautification efforts would entail or how many Guard members have already been sent out on the streets.

National Guard Major Micah Maxwell said troops will assist law enforcement in a variety of roles, including traffic control posts and crowd control. The Guard members have been trained in de-escalation tactics and crowd control equipment, Maxwell said.

The White House said Thursday that Guard members aren’t making arrests but are “protecting federal assets, providing a safe environment for law enforcement officers to make arrests, and deterring violent crime with a visible law enforcement presence.”

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For homeless residents, an uncertain time is at hand

Meanwhile, about a dozen homeless residents in Washington packed up their belongings with help from volunteers from some city agencies. Items largely were not forcibly thrown out by law enforcement, but a garbage truck idled nearby.

Several protesters held signs close by, some critical of the Trump administration. Once the residents had left, a construction vehicle from a city agency cleared through the remains of the tents.

Advocates expected law enforcement officers to fan out across D.C. later Thursday to take down — or supervise the takedown of — any remaining homeless encampments.

For two days, small groups of federal officers have been visible in scattered parts of the city. But more were present in high-profile locations Wednesday night, and troops were expected to start doing more missions Thursday.

Agents from Homeland Security Investigations have patrolled the popular U Street corridor, while Drug Enforcement Administration officers were seen on the National Mall, with Guard members parked nearby. DEA agents also joined MPD officers on patrol in the Navy Yard neighborhood, while FBI agents stood along the heavily trafficked Massachusetts Avenue.

Associated Press journalists Jacquelyn Martin, Mike Pesoli and David Klepper contributed to this report.

By AMANDA SEITZ and KIMBERLY KINDY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ordered the nation’s health department to stop giving deportation officials access to the personal information — including home addresses — of all 79 million Medicaid enrollees.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services first handed over the personal data on millions of Medicaid enrollees in a handful of states in June. After an Associated Press report identified the new policy, 20 states filed a lawsuit to stop its implementation.

In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services entered into a new agreement that gave the Department of Homeland Security daily access to view the personal data — including Social Security numbers and home address — of all the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees. Neither agreement was announced publicly.

The extraordinary disclosure of such personal health data to deportation officials in the Trump administration’s far-reaching immigration crackdown immediately prompted the lawsuit over privacy concerns.

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The Medicaid data sharing is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to provide DHS with more data on migrants. In May, for example, a federal judge refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help agents locate and detain people living without legal status in the U.S.

The order, issued by federal Judge Vince Chhabria in California, temporarily halts the health department from sharing personal data of enrollees in those 20 states, which include California, Arizona, Washington and New York.

“Using CMS data for immigration enforcement threatens to significantly disrupt the operation of Medicaid—a program that Congress has deemed critical for the provision of health coverage to the nation’s most vulnerable residents,” Chhabria wrote in his decision, issued on Tuesday.

Chhabria, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said that the order will remain in effect until the health department outlines “reasoned decisionmaking” for its new policy of sharing data with deportation officials.

A spokesperson for the federal health department declined to directly answer whether the agency would stop sharing its data with DHS. HHS has maintained that its agreement with DHS is legal.

Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program that provides nearly free coverage for health services. But federal law requires all states to offer emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage that pays only for lifesaving services in emergency rooms to anyone, including non-U.S. citizens. Medicaid is a jointly funded program between states and the federal government.

Immigration advocates have said the disclosure of personal data could cause alarm among people seeking emergency medical help for themselves or their children. Other efforts to crack down on illegal immigration have made schools, churches, courthouses and other everyday places feel perilous to immigrants and even U.S. citizens who fear getting caught up in a raid.

“Protecting people’s private health information is vitally important,” Washington state’s Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. “And everyone should be able to seek medical care without fear of what the federal government may do with that information.”

By HOLLY RAMER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Thursday it will seek the death penalty against a member of the cultlike Zizians group accused of killing a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont in the latest Trump administration push for more federal executions.

Teresa Youngblut, 21, of Washington state, is among a group of radical computer scientists focused on veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence who have been linked to six killings in three states. She’s accused of fatally shooting agent David Maland on Jan. 20, the same day President Donald Trump was inaugurated and signed a sweeping executive order lifting the moratorium on federal executions.

FILE – In this undated and unknown location photo released by the Department of Homeland Security shows Border Patrol Agent David Maland posing with a service dog. (Department of Homeland Security via AP, File)

Youngblut initially was charged with using a deadly weapon against law enforcement and discharging a firearm during an assault with a deadly weapon. But the Trump administration signaled early on that more serious charges were coming, and a new indictment released Thursday charged her with murder of a federal law enforcement agent and other crimes.

In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi mentioned Maland as an example when saying she expects federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in cases involving the murder of law enforcement officers. And Youngblut’s attorneys recently said they had been given a July 28 deadline to offer preliminary evidence about why she should be spared such a punishment. They asked a judge last month to delay that deadline until January, but the judge declined.

At the time of the shooting, authorities had been watching Youngblut and her companion, Felix Bauckholt, for several days after a Vermont hotel employee reported seeing them carrying guns and wearing black tactical gear. She’s accused of opening fire on border agents who pulled the car over on Interstate 91. An agent fired back, killing Bauckholt and wounding Youngblut.

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The pair were among the followers of Jack LaSota, a transgender woman also known as Ziz whose online writing attracted young, highly intelligent computer scientists who shared anarchist beliefs. Members of the group have been tied to the death of one of their own during an attack on a California landlord in 2022, the landlord’s subsequent killing earlier this year, and the deaths of one of the members’ parents in Pennsylvania.

LaSota and two others face weapons and drug charges in Maryland, where they were arrested in February, while LaSota faces additional federal charges of being an armed fugitive. Another member of the group who is charged with killing the landlord in California had applied for a marriage license with Youngblut. Michelle Zajko, whose parents were killed in Pennsylvania, was arrested with LaSota in Maryland, and has been charged with providing weapons to Youngblut in Vermont.

Vermont abolished its state death penalty in 1972. The last person sentenced to death in the state on federal charges was Donald Fell, who was convicted in 2005 of abducting and killing a supermarket worker five years earlier. But the conviction and sentence were later thrown out because of juror misconduct, and in 2018, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.

By Jeff Green and Jessica Nix, Bloomberg News

Costco Wholesale Corp. has decided not to dispense the abortion pill mifepristone at its more than 500 pharmacy locations, a decision hailed by a group of faith-based activists who urged the retailer to avoid selling the drug.

Costco said in a statement that it hasn’t seen consumer demand for the pill, and had no comment on whether the conservative group had any role in its decision. The religious coalition includes Idaho-based Inspire Investing; conservative activist organization Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF); and treasurers and other financial officials from states such as Ohio, Texas, Nevada and Utah. Last year, the group had asked the company to not begin selling the medication.

“It’s a very significant win and it’s one we hope to build on this coming year,” said Michael Ross, legal counsel for the corporate engagement team at ADF.

He said the group will now focus on Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS Health Corp., which dispense mifepristone in pharmacies in states where abortion is legal. Patients in states where abortion is illegal can also get the pills through the mail in states where the procedure is not outlawed.

Last year, the religious investors wrote letters to Kroger Co., Walmart Inc. and Albertsons Cos Inc. in addition to Costco, asking them not to dispense the pill in their pharmacies. Kroger said it has never offered the abortion pill and continues to evaluate the regulatory environment. Walmart and Albertsons currently do not offer the medicine. Walmart and Albertsons declined to comment.

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Costco posted better-than-expected earnings in the third quarter, demonstrating its loyal customers were keeping the brand strong at a time of economic uncertainties, and the company has been credited with taking a stand against conservative opposition to its DEI policies during its most recent annual meeting. The retailer’s decision raises the stakes of a pitched battle over the drug. In July of last year, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander wrote the retailers on behalf of New York City pension funds to convince them to seek approval to offer the pill. That advocacy prompted the conservative groups to expand their own campaign in August to discourage mifepristone dispensing, Ross said.

“Costco’s decision to refuse to dispense mifepristone is disappointing and short-sighted,” said a spokesperson from Lander’s office. “Failure to provide access to proven safe and FDA-approved medication under the guise of ‘weak demand’ risks isolating customers and undermines the company’s credibility.”

The religious groups pledged to keep at it. “We have this momentum,” said Tim Schwarzenberger, director of corporate engagement at Inspire, which is the largest religious ETF. “Now there is a chance to turn to some of the other retailers.” Amazon.com doesn’t currently offer the pill, and Schwarzenberger said his group will lobby the company to keep it that way. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. Walgreens had no comment, but pointed to information on the company’s website, which says, in part: “The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on mifepristone access allows Walgreens to continue to dispense mifepristone under the FDA guidelines.”

CVS said that its mifepristone distribution is in select states where legal, following a completion of a “robust certification process.”

“We have a long history of supporting and advancing women’s health and we remain focused on meeting their unique health needs. This includes providing access to safe, legal, and evidence-based reproductive health services,” the company said in a statement.

Overturning the national right to abortion created a patchwork system of access in the U.S., causing telehealth companies to fill some of the gaps. Some state lawmakers have introduced bills to classify mifepristone as a controlled substance and limit telehealth access. In the 2025 legislative session, 32 bills to ban medication abortion and 38 bills limiting access were introduced, the most since Roe was overturned, according to a tracker from the nonprofit research group Guttmacher Institute.

The majority of abortions in the U.S. are still done either at a clinic or with a mifepristone prescription from a physician and then filled a pharmacy such as CVS or Walgreens, according to data from the Society of Family Planning, an abortion advocacy group— a smaller portion are prescriptions filled through the mail. As more states have passed laws restricting or banning abortion, more women have sought a mifepristone prescription online; the product is then mailed. Those orders now account for about a quarter of abortions in the U.S., from 5% before the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned abortion rights nationally. Eight states where abortion is legal have passed so-called shield laws that protect physicians from legal action if they prescribe mifepristone to a patient in a state with an abortion ban.

Part of the challenge for women seeking an abortion is that CVS, Walgreens and other pharmacies do not dispense the pill in states where abortion is illegal, said Ushma Upadhyay, a professor of reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. Telehealth companies are able to use so-called shield laws to their advantage to mail pills directly into a state with a ban, she said.

That’s created legal challenges. In July, a Texas man sued a California doctor for prescribing his girlfriend abortion medication. A New York doctor has been indicted on felony charges in Louisiana and sued by the Texas Attorney General for sending pills to patients in those states.

“The anti-abortion advocates are trying whatever they can to reduce people’s ability to obtain it,” Upadhyay said. “But they know that even the abortion laws are not preventing people from getting their abortions. So I think this is just another way that they are trying to control the market.”

Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which helps a woman’s body maintain the lining of the uterus during pregnancy. The pregnancy ends when the lining can no longer support the fetus. A second medication, misoprostol is then taken to complete the process. Misoprostol can also be used to end a pregnancy, but is less effective than mifepristone depending on how far along the pregnancy is. The group is not seeking to eliminate access to misoprostol because it has alternative uses to treat stomach ulcers.

Conservatives are also urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to reexamine the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, of mifepristone, which are tools used to mitigate the safety risks of some drugs. In 2023, the FDA removed the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone and added a pharmacy certification process, essentially expanding access through telehealth. CVS and Walgreens are currently the only national pharmacies approved to dispense mifepristone under the REMS guidelines. Now, anti-abortion groups are pushing the FDA to add back the in-person dispensing requirement. Attorneys General from 22 states including Kansas, Texas and Ohio penned a July 31 letter urging Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reinstate the previous restrictions.

“This is an issue that our investors care deeply about, not just from a moral perspective, but also from a fiduciary perspective,” Schwarzenberger from Inspire, said. “The legal landscape is far from settled.”

With assistance from Jaewon Kang.

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