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Lee Sets Phased Memphis Crime Surge for Next Week With Federal Agents and Guard Support

Officials emphasize the Guard will be unarmed with no arrest authority unless Memphis police request otherwise.

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WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 24: National Guard Members patrol 14th street, working with Washington DC Metro police on August 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. An increased presence of law enforcement has been seen throughout the nation's capital since U.S. President Donald Trump ordered in federal officers and the U.S. National Guard. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
Federal agents patrol downtown Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025.
Protesters gathered at the Tennessee state capitol Saturday, voicing opposition to the expected 150 National Guard troops arriving in Memphis, starting Monday.

Overview

  • Gov. Bill Lee said the U.S. Marshals-led Memphis Safe Task Force will start next week, with agents from 13 federal agencies arriving in phases.
  • Initial deployments include FBI, ATF and DEA personnel, and Lee said he will not declare a state of emergency for the operation.
  • Tennessee National Guard members, to be deputized by U.S. Marshals, will serve support functions only; troop numbers and exact timing remain unsettled, with Lee previously suggesting fewer than 150.
  • The state pledged $100 million in public-safety grants and is shifting 300 Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers to the region, allowing about 100 on duty at a time.
  • City guidance says Guard troops will wear standard uniforms without masks and no armored tanks will be used, while local leaders and protesters remain divided over the deployment.