Law enforcement officials have made more than 1,000 arrests and located dozens of missing children in Memphis, Tennessee, as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping crime crackdown in one of America’s most violent cities.
In a statement, Attorney General Pam Bondi said:
“From arresting more than 100 gang members to locating more than 70 missing children, our brave federal agents and local authorities are doing incredible work to protect the good people of Memphis.
“Tolerating crime is a choice: under President Trump, we refuse to accept the victimization of innocent American citizens and will continue making our cities safe again.”
A White House official told Fox News that the operation, launched in September, has led to 1,309 total arrests, including nine for homicide, 52 for sex offenses, 527 for warrants, and 132 for firearm crimes.
Memphis, which has long ranked among the nation’s most dangerous cities, recorded 40.6 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2024.
President Trump signed a September 15 presidential memorandum creating the Memphis Safe Task Force and authorizing National Guard deployment to assist local law enforcement.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee praised the administration’s efforts, telling reporters earlier this month that the operation could continue indefinitely.
“We do know this is going to last for months, and we have just begun,” Lee said.
“In fact, I will tell you that it will last forever.”
According to the White House official, the operation has located 72 missing children, seized 247 firearms, and arrested 109 gang members, including affiliates of Tren de Aragua and MS-13.
Officials detailed several of the arrests from the night of October 21, including:
• A man wanted for aggravated rape of a child.
• A Grape Street Crip member arrested for kidnapping, aggravated assault, theft, domestic assault, and parole violation.
• A Bloods member taken into custody for harassment.
• Known members of the Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords also arrested.
“Our priorities in Memphis are removing violent criminals, eliminating drug trafficking, and executing warrants for criminals within the communities,” said Gadyaces S. Serralta, director of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“So far, we have arrested more than 1,300 people.
“Nine people wanted for homicide, 52 for sex offenses, and 109 gang members.
“We are doing the job we were sent here to do, and I know the people of Memphis appreciate our assistance.”
National Guard troops arrived in the city in September.
Bondi, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller met with the task force on October 1 to mark the operation’s official launch.
Local Democrats, including Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), denounced the move.
“Memphians are not enemies; they are Americans,” Cohen said, according to the Associated Press.
“They are entitled to constitutional rights, not their government working to ‘intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill’ them.
“We are not a training ground or target practice.”
The Memphis operation is part of President Trump’s broader effort to dismantle organized crime and restore safety in cities plagued by violence since the early 2020s.
The president federalized Washington, D.C.’s police force in August and has launched similar operations in Portland and Chicago, though some efforts have faced court challenges.
“Memphis is deeply troubled,” Trump said on Fox & Friends in September.
“We’re going to fix that, just like we did in Washington.”
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