West Virginia National Guard troops are now being sent to Washington, DC, in an escalation of President Donald Trump’s efforts to federally take over law enforcement in the city.

A crowd of protesters marched from Washington, D.C.’s, Dupont Circle to the front of the White House on Saturday, as part of a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump’s orders to federalize the D.

A White House spokesperson told CBS News that while deployed National Guard members "may be armed," they will not make arrests.

Residents in one Washington, D.C., neighborhood lined up to protest the increased police presence after the White House said the number of National Guard troops in the nation’s capital would ramp up and federal officers would be on the streets around the clock.

The White House has backed off plans for a full takeover of the D.C. police force and will allow for the city’s police chief to remain in charge after a judge indicated they would block the move.

The White House said Tuesday that homeless people in the nation’s capital could be subject to fines and jail time as the administration cracks down on crime. “The homeless problem has

Authorities also said there will be a "significantly higher national guard presence on the ground" starting Wednesday night.

Hundreds rallied in Washington against President Trump’s federal takeover of policing and deployment of National Guard troops. Protesters vowed continued resistance, as West Virginia pledged troops and Vermont refused the request.

Federal law enforcement and National Guard troops have taken to the streets of Washington, D.C., as the debate over President Donald Trump's efforts to combat crime and homelessness in the nation's capital intensifies.