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FIRST ON FOX: Law enforcement officers have made more than 1,700 arrests in Memphis, Tennessee, in the one month since the Trump administration began surging resources to the notoriously crime-ridden city, according to statistics shared with Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
People were arrested for homicides, drugs, gun charges and sex offenses, and they included 126 “known gang members,” according to the data. Additionally, seven dozen missing children were located and 293 firearms seized as part of the Department of Justice-led effort.
Attorney General Pam Bondi thanked Memphis’ Democratic leadership for its cooperation in a statement to Fox News Digital and touted the department’s successes.
“Tolerating crime is a choice. Under President Trump, we choose law and order: residents of our cities do not have to live in fear of violent crime,” Bondi said. “Our federal surge into Memphis has put gang members behind bars, rescued dozens of children, and proven that collaboration between federal and local law enforcement can quickly make American cities safe again. I am grateful to all of our partners, especially Memphis leadership, for working closely alongside our agents.”
TRUMP ORDERS NATIONAL GUARD, FBI TO MEMPHIS IN NEW CRIME CRACKDOWN
A review by local outlet WSMV found that Memphis had the highest violent crime rate in the country in 2024. A city dashboard reflected a recent improvement, showing that since Sept. 1, serious crime in Memphis has dropped 46%.
The statistics provided to Fox News Digital also detailed several arrests. They showed an alleged All On The Blade gang member was arrested for first-degree murder, an alleged Bullet to Bullet gang member was arrested for attempted second-degree murder, an alleged Sureno 13 gang member was arrested while allegedly inside a stolen car containing methamphetamine and two Chinese noncitizens, including one allegedly in the country illegally, were arrested with more than $1 million in cash on them.
More than a dozen federal agencies are participating in the surge, which Trump announced as a “Memphis Safe Task Force” from the Oval Office last month alongside Bondi and other Cabinet members and Tennessee leaders.
A person familiar with the operation said the federal presence, including the National Guard, will remain in Memphis for now and that there is no set end date.
In addition to National Guard troops, the DOJ’s components on the ground in Memphis include the FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A string of local and state law enforcement are also involved. The DOJ outfits began arriving Sept. 29.
MEMPHIS RESIDENTS SPLIT OVER NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO FIGHT CITY’S CRIME
The task force represents a broader trend of the Trump administration executing crime and immigration enforcement operations in blue cities that the president has described as crime-infested “war zones,” a characterization that state and local leaders have widely rejected. Chicago, Portland and parts of California have all been targets.
In stark contrast to the mass protests and federal lawsuits that cropped up in those jurisdictions, Memphis has been more welcoming of the federal and military reinforcements. Tennessee is a solid red state, and Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, approved of deploying National Guard troops to aid in the crackdown. The governor was sued by some local leaders over the decision.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young has been less warm than Lee to the task force initiative but has remained cooperative. His office did not respond to a request for comment.
In a viral clip, a Memphis resident was seen thanking Trump this month while saying she has no interest in politics.
“I will say thank you to Trump for bringing these National Guards and doing what they’re doing down here in Memphis,” the woman said. “For the first time in five years — I’ve been in my home for five years — and for the first time my kids have been able to play in the backyard and be able to do it comfortably. I haven’t heard a gunshot in two weeks.”
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