Dozens of people were arrested in Memphis in a period of 24 hours after the arrival of federal law enforcement officials in the Tennessee city. The deployment of members of the National Guard and other state law enforcement authorities was ordered by President Donald Trump in an effort to crack down on crime. Here is the latest on this controversial situation unfolding across several American cities.

At Least 53 People Arrested in Memphis After Federal Troop Deployment

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday that the Memphis Safe Task Force made 53 arrests while seizing 20 illegal firearms after the special deputization of 219 officers earlier in the week. Bondi visited the city along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, launching the Joint Operations Center.

Trump signaled earlier in the week that a number of the nation's Democratic cities could be used as a "training ground" for military forces. Cities on the list targeted by the White House for the crime crackdowns include Chicago, Washington, D.C, Los Angeles, and Portland. Local leaders in these metro areas are pushing back on the president's plans to send federal troops.

The Trump administration has a different take on the deployment. Hegseth said on Wednesday that it is the federal government's job to "liberate" local law enforcement agencies. Approximately 100 vehicles were parked outside a county jail in central Memphis on Wednesday, indicating the heavy presence of the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The president said that he wants the federal task force in Memphis to model the recent deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. Although Memphis has experienced high levels of violent crimes recently, both Democratic and Republican leaders have noted that these numbers have actually fallen in some categories.

Critics of the deployment in Memphis argue that the federal operation in Tennessee subjects troops to the Posse Comitatus Act, a piece of legislation that bars the federal officers from engaging in law enforcement activities. This differs from the deployment of federal troops in the U.S. capital, a district where troops report directly to the Secretary of the Army.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young met with federal agency officials on Monday to discuss how the troops can support the Memphis Police Department. The Democratic mayor said that he wants to continue to build on the decreasing crime rates over the last 20 months. Young also spoke at a town hall on Tuesday, detailing that there will be no increase in checkpoints as part of the federal response.

Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee confirmed that he does not expect more than 150 National Guard members to be deployed to Memphis. Lee also added that the troops will not make arrests unless local forces give their permission. Additionally, Lee said that the troops will not be armed. Critics of the troop deployment in the second-largest city in the Volunteer State argue that the federal resources would be better served going toward hospitals, youth services, and education.

National Guard Troops Also Deployed to Portland, Oregon

Although many local leaders in Tennessee welcome the federal intervention, the blue states do not share this sentiment. Trump also confirmed on Wednesday that National Guard members are now in place in Portland. Oregon state leaders are vocally resisting the presence of the troops, arguing that the city does not need the extra reinforcements.

Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek asserts that there is no threat to national security currently in Portland, meaning that there is no need for federal troops. Reports of the escalating tension between Kotek and Trump assistant Natalie Harp are adding fuel to the fire.

This is not the first time that Trump has sent federal troops to Portland. The president deployed over 700 officers in 2020 to guard federal facilities downtown after violent protests erupted following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

An ICE facility located about two miles south of downtown Portland has been ground zero for the city's protests this summer. While most of the protests have been peaceful, a demonstration connected to the "No Kings" movement turned violent in June, resulting in the arrests of three people. However, local officials note that the protests have been calm since that time.

Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day said on Tuesday that the area around the ICE facility is just one city block, an area not needing this high level of federal troop deployment.

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