President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize Washington, D.C., accomplished in days what years of policy debates, press conferences, and pilot programs had failed to achieve: it altered the atmosphere of the city. Some residents say they finally feel safer. For the first time in years, they can walk home without constantly looking over their shoulders. Community group chats that once overflowed with crime alerts and surveillance footage have grown quieter. To these residents, the increased federal presence represents long-overdue action and proof that their concerns about public safety are finally being taken seriously.

Yet on the very same streets, others are experiencing a different reality.