US EditionThousands of arrests by Trump’s crime-fighting task force in Memphis strain crowded jail and courts
The Memphis Safe Task Force made 2,800+ arrests and issued 28,000 citations, straining the jail and courts and prompting calls for emergency funding and more judges.
- This month, President Donald Trump ordered a task force in Memphis that has arrested more than 2,800 people and issued over 28,000 traffic citations, straining courts and jails.
- Supported by Republican Gov. Bill Lee, the operation includes National Guard troops and responds to Memphis, Tennessee’s violent crime surge, with homicides up 33% and assaults up 41% since 2018.
- Shelby County Jail, built for 2,400, held an average daily population of 3,195 in September, with hundreds more bookings and bail settings and inmates sleeping in chairs; Chief Jailer Kirk Fields requested at least $1.5 million from county commissioners.
- On Oct. 31, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris asked state courts to prepare for 3,500 to 5,000 arrests, requested more judges, and the Tennessee Supreme Court designated two senior judges while considering night and Saturday court sessions.
- Officials warn the effects may last months or years, with Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris cautioning the county faces extreme financial peril and activists citing human costs and safety concerns.
120 Articles
120 Articles
11 charged with assaulting or resisting task force officers
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Eleven people who allegedly assaulted, evaded, or resisted officers during recent Memphis Safe Task Force operations have been hit with federal charges. All 11 of the cases involved traffic stops or highway pursuits. Several were initiated for traffic violations, including running a red light, driving without headlights, or having fraudulent temporary tags [...]
More Than 3,100 Arrested in Federal Operation in Memphis, Bondi Says
Federal officials on Monday announced that several thousand people have been arrested as part of a two-month-long crime crackdown in Memphis, Tennessee. A memorandum signed by President Donald Trump in mid-September created the Memphis Safe Task Force to target violent crime across the city, noting that it had the highest violent crime rate for a major U.S. city in 2024. In a news conference in Memphis on Nov. 24, Attorney General Pam Bondi said…
Memphis Courts And Jails Overwhelmed From Arrests By Trump Task Force
Source: AUSTIN JOHNSON / Getty Besides the racism, lawlessness, stupidity, and financial recklessness, both Trump presidencies have been defined by broad actions without consideration for the downstream consequences. Take, for instance, the federal task force currently deployed in Memphis. While, on paper, nearly 3,000 arrests in just over a month seem effective, it’s led to overcrowding in jails and significant court delays. According to AP, t…
Thousands of arrests in Memphis strain crowded jail, courts
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A task force ordered by President Donald Trump to combat crime in Memphis, Tennessee, has made thousands of arrests, compounding strains on the busy local court system and an already overcrowded jail in ways that concerned officials…
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