Trump pauses planned San Francisco federal surge, gives mayor time

(NewsNation) — A scheduled "stepped-up" federal presence in San Francisco has been put on hold by President Donald Trump, who is allowing San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie time to try and turn the city's crime issues around, the White House confirmed to NewsNation.

Lurie wrote in a social media post on Thursday that Trump told him in a phone conversation late Wednesday that he would hold sending in federal officers and agents, which were expected to begin arriving on Thursday.

NewsNation confirmed on Wednesday that at least 100 Customs and Border Protection agents were expected to arrive in San Francisco. NewsNation has learned that at this time, additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers won’t be sent to San Francisco.

Protesters gathered outside of a Bay Area Coast Guard installation on Thursday after the post was to be used for a staging area for federal officers and agents.

Lurie wrote in a social media post that keeping San Francisco residents safe "is his top priority" and that as part of that commitment, he welcomed partnering with federal agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF and the U.S. Attorney's Office to "get drugs and drug dealers off our streets."

A White House spokesperson responded to NewsNation's request for confirmation with a Trump Truth Social post in which the president said he was giving Lurie time to "turn it around."

"I spoke to Mayor Lurie last night and he asked, very nicely, that I give him a chance to see if he can turn it around, " Trump wrote. "I told him I think he is making a mistake, because we can do it much faster, and remove the criminals that the Law does not permit him to remove. I told him, 'It’s an easier process if we do it, faster, stronger, and safer but, let’s see how you do?' The people of San Francisco have come together on fighting Crime, especially since we began to take charge of that very nasty subject."

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection source told NewsNation that the planned operation is on hold.

San Francisco has seen its crime rates drop over the past year and ranks 26th nationally in violent crimes and 13th in property crimes. The city's district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, told NewsNation on Wednesday that she acknowledged that the city needed to step up its efforts to combat crime, including drug-related offenses.

The city's Tenderloin district has been hampered by fentanyl, which officials said has been sent to San Francisco by Mexican drug cartels. Jenkins told NewsNation that she wanted the Trump administration to request local efforts to cut down on crime rather than "wreak havoc and bring chaos" by sending in federal officers and agents.

A phase of the federal operation was scheduled to focus on illegal immigration. Although additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were not scheduled to be deployed along with CBP agents, ICE has been present in the Bay Area for decades. Data obtained by NewsNation sources indicates that 10,130 immigrants who entered the country illegally and are living in San Francisco are convicted criminals.

The data also shows that 57,440 migrants living in San Francisco have existing final orders of removal. Assistant Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said in an interview with NewsNation partner The Hill on Wednesday that officials expected to see similar immigration enforcement results as were seen earlier this year in Los Angeles.

During that operation, more than 7,000 immigrants who were in the U.S. illegally were arrested by federal officers and agents. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that the Trump administration will continue to monitor San Francisco and may send in federal officers and agents if the administration is not satisfied with Lurie's efforts to cut down on crime.

"I am profoundly grateful to all the San Franciscans who came together over the last several days," Lurie wrote. "Our city leaders have been united behind the goal of public safety. And our values have been on full display—this is the best of our city.

This is a developing story. NewsNation will update the story as more information becomes available.