U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that 93 people have been arrested in the opening days of the Memphis Safe Task Force operation, a new federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime in the city, as reported [1] by The Center Square.
The task force, which includes support from 13 federal agencies such as the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has also seized 28 illegal firearms since operations began.
“Yesterday 40 arrests were made including a Tren de Aragua terrorist, a felon in possession of a firearm, a man wanted for rape of a child, and an arrest for assault on a federal officer,” Bondi said in a post on social media.
“To date, there have been 93 arrests and 28 illegal guns seized. Our work is saving lives.”
In just 72 hours, our Memphis Safe Task Force is making an incredible impact in this iconic American city.
Yesterday 40 arrests were made including a Tren de Aragua terrorist, a felon in possession of a firearm, a man wanted for rape of a child, and an arrest for assault on a… pic.twitter.com/M9JHJACvh3 [2]
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) October 2, 2025 [3]
Bondi and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth traveled to Memphis on Wednesday to highlight the effort, which comes during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
“Even though the Democrats shut down the government and stopped their pay – the Tennessee National Guard will never quit,” Hegseth said in a social media statement, praising the work of Guard members supporting the operation.
Today, I was proud to join @AGPamBondi [4] and @StephenM [5] at the Memphis Safe Task Force.
Even though the Democrats shutdown the government & stopped their pay — the Tennessee National Guard will never quit.
We will always stand with our federal Law Enforcement partners — putting… pic.twitter.com/BIfQEo2jXz [6]
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 2, 2025 [7]
The task force has faced criticism from some state leaders. Tennessee state Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) questioned whether the National Guard should be deployed in Memphis, citing past legal opinions.
“In short, only circumstances amounting to a rebellion or invasion permit the governor to call out the militia, and even then, the Legislature must declare, by law, that the public safety requires it,” Yarbro said, referring to opinions issued in 2021 and 2024.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti dismissed those objections, noting that such opinions are not legally binding. He also pushed back against suggestions that his office withdrew them for political purposes.
“If the folks at the press conference are insinuating my office withdrew these opinions six months before the election to pave the way for Trump policies a year and a half later, they have bigger problems than this legal question,” Skrmetti said in an email to The Center Square.
“If I could see the future like that, I’d be neck deep in Bitcoin and Pokémon cards.”
The Memphis Safe Task Force continues its operations in coordination with local law enforcement and federal agencies. Officials have said the initiative is designed to address violent crime, gang activity, and the flow of illegal weapons in the city.