Trump Admin Launches Major Crime Crackdown In Memphis
President Donald J. Trump’s decision to federalize law enforcement operations in Memphis is already delivering measurable results, as violent crime plummets and federal authorities continue large-scale arrests across the city.
Following his earlier effort to restore stability in Washington, D.C., President Trump announced in early September that the National Guard would be deployed to Memphis. He also ordered the creation of a coordinated federal task force made up of the FBI, ATF, Department of Justice, and additional federal agencies. The crackdown officially began on Sept. 29.
Since then, 2,213 arrests have been made, according to a daily law enforcement report obtained exclusively by The Daily Caller. Authorities have apprehended 139 confirmed gang members, seized 379 firearms, and located 97 missing children — a sweeping demonstration of renewed federal law-and-order priorities.
“The numbers clearly show that Memphis is safer thanks to President Trump’s federal surge,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told the Caller.
“Our agents from the FBI, DEA, US Marshals, and ATF have done incredible work alongside HSI and local police to combat violent crime and restore safety to an iconic American city. Tolerating crime is a choice, and this Department of Justice chooses law and order,” she said.
As of Thursday, 1,639 federal agents across 31 agencies were operating throughout Memphis, with additional personnel expected to reinforce operations. The deployment has already led to the arrest of suspects wanted for first-degree murder, second-degree murder, the rape of a child, aggravated sexual battery, and incest — reflecting a direct focus on high-risk offenders.
City crime data published by the Memphis Police Department shows a dramatic downward trend since the federal operation began. Comparing the period from Oct. 1 onward to the same timeframe last year:
- Murders are down 52.38%
- Sexual assaults down 55.56%
- Robberies down 65.82%
- Burglaries down 33.98%
- Aggravated assaults down 47.30%
- Motor vehicle thefts down 79.79%
Overall, the city has seen a 46.65% decrease across major crime categories.
While National Guard troops cannot conduct arrests directly, they serve as critical support personnel — securing federal sites, strengthening tactical staging, and freeing federal agents to conduct field operations.
The Memphis strategy reflects the approach already underway in Washington, D.C., where a similar federal surge produced rapid reductions in violent crime. Speaking at the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the President remains open to expanding the model.
“The President wants to work with anyone across this country who wants to end these horrible policies and to bring law and order to our streets, and I think that is proven by his tremendous cooperation with the mayor of Washington, D.C., and our nation’s capital, and just look at the results of that,” Leavitt said.
The message from the administration is clear: restoring public safety is not optional — it is a national priority.