9 arrests made in Memphis as federal crackdown gets underway
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday announced that nine arrests were made in Memphis as the Trump administration's federal crackdown on crime began in the city.
“Our operation in Memphis is now underway, and we’re just getting started," Bondi wrote in a statement on social platform X. "Yesterday, 9 arrests were made and 2 illegal firearms were taken off the streets."
“Additionally, 219 officers were special deputized and our Joint Operations Center is up and running,” she added.
Federal forces were welcomed by the Gov. Bill Lee (R), who said he expects operations to build “safe neighborhoods that last.”
“Memphis is a world-class city with an historic opportunity to address its crime challenge,” Lee wrote Monday in a post online.
“As the Memphis Safe Task Force continues its work, I’m grateful to @POTUS for providing every federal resource needed so that all Tennesseans can live in a safe neighborhood,” he added, referring to the task force created by Trump earlier this month.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young (D) said he did not request assistance from the National Guard but hopes to see positive results from their presence.
“For Memphis, I choose to use this as an opportunity. Crime is already trending down, and with added support, we can build on that momentum," he wrote last week on X. "We can also accelerate blight cleanup and expand services for people experiencing homelessness, strengthening quality of life across our city."
“My commitment is simple: every resource we receive must make Memphis stronger, not just today, but for our future,” he added.
However, his colleague, Mayor Lee Harris (D) of neighboring Shelby County, Tenn., has been increasingly vocal about the federal show of force in the Home of the Blues.
“Mr. President, no one here is 'happy.' We’re not happy you’re militarizing Tennessee communities," he said earlier this month. "Not happy to see the obliteration of America’s most important norms."
“Not happy at all with occupation, armored vehicles, semi-automatic weapons, and military personnel in fatigues,” Harris said.
He also claimed Lee is unauthorized to send the National Guard into Memphis, citing provisions within the state's Constitution.
“The President’s announcement that troops will occupy Tennessee communities is disappointing, anti-democratic, and violates American norms and possibly US laws," Harris continued. "In the short term, the President’s incursion will likely cause confusion and fear in many of our communities, particularly the most vulnerable ones."
“In the long term, the mark of Tennessee communities being occupied by federal forces will hurt our state’s reputation for generations," he added.