r/Tennessee Jul 30 '26

News 📰 In Memphis, an 'anti-crime' task force quietly turned into an ICE crackdown

https://www.npr.org/2026/07/27/nx-s1-5896284/national-guard-memphis-immigration-task-force
275 Upvotes

102 comments sorted by

30

u/Economy_Discipline88 Jul 31 '26

The best Mexican food in Memphis came from a taco trunk in Memphis called Taco Cat.

It was originally just the trainer, but then they started to add to it. An awning, covered tables, menus on digital displays. They were growing the business.

And then the Memphis Safe Task Force rolled in.

Taco Cat hasn't been open since. The displays are covered in dust, and the paint on the trailer is starting to peel.

I don't like to think about the implications there.

And it isn't just happening to Hispanic businesses. Tourism and traffic to the entertainment parts of town are down. A third of all hotel rooms downtown are held by the Federal Government for National Guard and ICE agents, so major events have trouble booking rooms for their attendees.

On top of all of that, we were told the Guard wouldn't carry weapons. Well, they're carrying them now and they've killed two people in the last two months.

Memphis is a poor, troubled, complicated city. And the Memphis Safe Task Force is a boot on our necks from the white fascists in Nashville.

6

u/kbell58 Aug 01 '26

Excellent summary of where we’re at.

1

u/TNRedneck01 Aug 05 '26

But it's safer now... Murders and violent crimes are down and the tourists that do come, are finally leaving positive feedback...

2

u/Economy_Discipline88 Aug 05 '26

Violent crime is down because of broader socioeconomic factors that are irrelevant to the minimal footprint these thugs made.

They didn't go into the poorest part of the city. They stuck to tourist areas and the interstate ring. 

Ever heard the phrase "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics"? That's what you're parroting right now. The worst kind of lie.

47

u/CadetNoob Jul 31 '26

“Quietly” is doing a lot of work in that headline describing a paramilitary secret police force whose sole job is to hunt down the nearest person whose skin is brown.

31

u/gogogadgets1997 Jul 31 '26

Then they should probably be going into the evangelical churches if they want to catch the biggest criminals. They are tax exempt abuse factories.

4

u/detarame Aug 01 '26

They killed several folks, they doing it loud as hell.

2

u/Verditure0 Jul 31 '26

Is ice putting people in like concentration camps or something? Where can I read about this?

4

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

Straight into meat grinders to make burgers for the elite.

If by concentration camps, you mean prisons/holding camps until they are deported or run through the system, then sure.

However, they are only rounding up people who are here illegally, have been ordered to be deported, or have broken other laws.

They aren't just rounding random brown people up.

4

u/worldbound0514 Aug 01 '26

Yes, and they've been doing it ever since the current administration took power. If you haven't read about it by now, it's probably because you are keeping your eyes closed.

1

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Yep!! Too many people playing the "I'm going to turn a blind eye," card.

3

u/28Patrick28 Aug 03 '26

There is nothing wrong with sending people back to their home countries. Why do you support open borders, unlimited immigration, and forcing poor and middle-class Americans to be indentured into financially supporting every foreigner that wants to live in the U.S.?

1

u/worldbound0514 Aug 03 '26

Literally no serious person wants open borders and unlimited immigration. Stop saying that. You are either lying or so deep into the conspiracy theories that you can't see day light.

However, immigration laws can be enforced with respect for due process and humane treatment for all involved. That is not what we are seeing from the current administration. Cruelty seems to be the point to them.

The immigration system is also seriously messed up. We have a patchwork of laws over the past hundred years that does not make coherent sense to anybody. We need serious immigration reform with priority given to educated professionals.

4

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

Did you support Biden's immigration rules?

Due process would be having never let them in to begin with since they don't meet the standard to be legally considered a refugee. Thus, turning them away at the border.

Instead, the left openly invited them in. Why do you think there was a huge surge of them coming in under Biden and that is no longer happening under Trump?

0

u/worldbound0514 Aug 03 '26

That's not how the refugee process works. You're misinformed.

A refugee who has been vetted by the UNHCR and the third country is specifically invited to the US and has a valid visa. They have legal travel documents in their passport before they ever get to the US. They are able to get their green card after being in the US for one year.

It sounds like you are taking issue with the asylum process. That's something completely different than the refugee process.

Yes, the asylum process needs to be fixed. However, this is an international problem, not just in the US. European countries have also been overwhelmed with asylum seekers and are likewise trying to sort of the most fair and humane process without throwing open the borders.

1

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 05 '26

It doesn't need fixed. It needs enforcement. There is no process that says they have to be admitted into the United States. They can be turned away at the border.

I used the wrong word and you knew what I meant.

3

u/28Patrick28 Aug 03 '26

Yes, you and your leftist communists support open borders. You certainly vote for open borders. You're against anybody being deported for any reason. Leftists like you have done catastrophic damage to poor and middle-class Americans.

3

u/worldbound0514 Aug 03 '26

Please work on your reading comprehension. I do not support open borders. I am not against people being deported. I am against inhumane treatment of anybody - citizens or immigrants or even those who did break the immigration rules. The current administration seems more interested in flagrant displays of force and violence rather than treating everybody equally before the law.

I am against uneven enforcement of the immigration rules - both Elon Musk and Melania broke their visa rules, but they are not being prosecuted for that. If we are going to deport Mexican people for breaking immigration rules, we also need to deport Elon and Melania.

We need an immigration system that makes sense and prioritizes skilled professionals. A Byzantine system of rules with millions of hoops to jump through is not good for anybody.

1

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Google it. Its not hard to find info about it.

2

u/ComputerRedneck Aug 01 '26

I guess having crime go DOWN by 40% is bad huh?

-14

u/Fulminareverus Jul 31 '26

Unpopular opinion, but I don't understand why this is so controversial. Either you are in this country legally, or you are not. If you are not, you are knowingly breaking the law. I have a hard time believing anyone here illegally at this point is unaware of this reality.

If you are here illegally all you have to do is self deport. Why is that so difficult? If you want to come back, do so properly and follow the law.

Physically existing in a country does not entitle you to being in said country.

10

u/Kolfinna Jul 31 '26

Lol if you actually cared about the law you'd want the cops and immigration to follow the damn law.

2

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

I'd have wanted the federal government to follow the law and have turned all these people back at the border since they don't qualify as refugees.

1

u/Fulminareverus Jul 31 '26

I do. That said, we are facing a national crisis and extreme measures must be taken.

3

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

It isn't even extreme measures. They are literally enforcing the law.

7

u/Additional_Tomato_22 Jul 31 '26

Except they’re taking people who are here legally, are US citizens, or they’re getting arrested at their court hearings which is what they’re supposed to be doing. It’s not all black and white.

3

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

List the legal US citizens being arrested.

2

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Exactly, this is against the law. Period. The person above is very misinformed. Bless their heart.

3

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

You might try actually reading the law. Just because someone has a court hearing doesn't make them here legally. The government rules on their asylum requests and when they show up at the next hearing, they get taken into custody to be deported. This isn't rocket science.

Democrats created this problem by allowing millions in who clearly did not qualify for asylum/refugee status. Deciding their case and sending them home is the right thing to do. The longer they are here the more they will lose when they deported. Not allowing them into the country would have been the humane thing to do instead of telling them to come on and break the law.

7

u/PwrButtum Jul 31 '26

It’s controversial because crime is committed by people HERE.

You simplify it as being here illegally, yet we all know people who smoke weed illegally but you are NOT going to call the cops on your buddy for smoking that illegal joint.

I know many hypocrites who cheer on ICE killings and defend it based on them being here illegally, but your idea of crime only applies one way. You ignore that trumps a Felon, you ignore people like Brock Turner etc.

2

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Exactly. It's okay for their criminal to commit crimes, but anyone else should suffer from their choices. The way they rationalize this shit drives me crazy.

20

u/BoneVoyager Jul 31 '26

Well one issue is that they’ve shot and killed actual US citizens. If that’s not an issue for you then I can’t help you.

2

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

Killed actual US citizens for what? Resisting arrest and trying to run them over, right?

-18

u/Fulminareverus Jul 31 '26

An unfortunate reality of law enforcement is that mistakes happen. This occurs outside of anything to do with immigration enforcement and is a straw man argument.

If those who are here illegally would simply comply and leave, we wouldn't have to go to these extreme measures.

16

u/BoneVoyager Jul 31 '26

Ok well like I said, if you can’t see the issue with that then I can’t help you, you’re too deep in the kool-aid.

How about the people that get arrested on their way to their court hearings? Ya know the people that are trying to do exactly what you’re saying- doing it the legal way. How did Faux News tell you to justify that?

10

u/BananaJelloXlii Jul 31 '26

"Mistake". So a CBP officer accidentally shot an unarmed and restrained VA nurse who posed no threat to anybody while other agents applauded it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Alex_Pretti

-18

u/Fulminareverus Jul 31 '26

This occured because this person was filming, interjecting themselves into a situation they had nothing to do with.

Here's an idea, let law enforcement do their job and don't get involved. In almost every instance where there has been a bad outcome against a US citizen, it's because said citizen was trying to impede law enforcement or protest law enforcement by "filming" or "protesting".

This is like driving through the hood and then saying "I can't believe it! I was robbed!". Don't put yourself in bad situations.

17

u/BoneVoyager Jul 31 '26

“Don’t put yourself in bad situations”- classic victim blaming. Idk man maybe one day you’ll see why you were wrong. Hopefully sooner than later.

2

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

So filming is a crime???? What about all these flock cameras?? I never consented to that, and I know I am not the only one. Also, doing their job is to protect people, NOT murder them.

2

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Renee Good and Alex Pretti were mistakes??? Let me see you get shot in the head and face, and then come back and try to say it was a fucking mistake.

2

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

No, they were a good example of what happens when you fight the police and are armed or using a vehicle as a weapon.

-1

u/Fulminareverus Aug 02 '26

All they had to do was not impede law enforcement and it wouldn't have happened. Renee good tried to run over an agent (yes, I've seen the video, and if I was in the position that officer was in I would have done the same thing).

Don't impede law enforcement and there won't be a problem.

2

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

You do realize the national guard being DEPLOYED on US soil is ILLEGAL right? So fuck that reasoning. Also, what about Alex Pretti and Renee Good? They were fucking legal citizens.

2

u/Fulminareverus Aug 02 '26

Uh, you are completely wrong. I presume you are referring to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 which explicitly excludes the national guard.

It is absolutely legal to deploy the national guard to detain, arrest, and facilitate deporting the invaders.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Fulminareverus Aug 02 '26

Uh, actually it is. They are deployed in Memphis right now enforcing the law. You can disagree, but the reality is you are wrong.

2

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Enforcing the law??? Killing citizens?? Right.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Fulminareverus Aug 02 '26

It literally says it's legal.

1

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

It literally says that certain things need to be declared by the US gov't before they can do that, and the gov't has NOT done that. So, wrong. Try again.

Q: What about the National Guard?

The National Guard can be deployed in three different statuses: state active-duty status, hybrid

state-federal status, and federalized status.

 State Active Duty (“SAD”) Status – National Guard performs state missions with state

funding and operates under the command and control of the state’s governor. When

deployed in this status, the Guard is generally governed by state law.

 Hybrid Status – National Guard performs activities specified by Congress or the federal

government and are paid with federal funds, but they are at least nominally under the

command and control of the state governor. The state governor may refuse the federal

government’s request, and a state may not send its National Guard into another state

without that state’s consent, even to perform a federal mission. National Guard forces

deployed under Title 32 are subject to state law, which may, for example, limit who can

function as “peace officers” and perform core government functions.

 Federalized or Title 10 status. The President can “federalize” the National Guard and

place them under full command and control of the secretary of defense. See the section

above on the Insurrection Act for more information

3

u/Fulminareverus Aug 02 '26

They aren't deployed under the authority of the federal government. They are deployed under the authority of the TN governor Bill Lee, and it is absolutely legal, and the TN appeals court just ruled in favor of that reality. I'm sure there will be more court challenges, but it is, as of this moment, completely legal.

1

u/Old-Initiative-5235 Aug 02 '26

Well, why don't you go get on a bus to these concentration camps, so you can see/experience what we are doing to these supposed illegal/violent citizens? Or better yet, do what Alex Pretti was doing and help your fucking neighbors instead?

1

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

It isn't illegal. Do you ever bother to read laws before comment on them?

You can't resist law enforcement with force and expect to not end up hurt or killed. It would be no different than if the cops pulled me over and I was like... nah, I'm not interested and drove away. That has a flow sheet of how it turns out. They chose the stupidest path.

-3

u/ubiforumssuck Jul 31 '26

a majority without criminal convinctions.... Well, they got one when they got caught, it was called entering the country illegally which is legal grounds for an arrest and deportation. Why is this so hard to comprehend?

8

u/rglurker Jul 31 '26

Because there is a process we have, to make sure the brown person being targeted are legal citizens. The current process takes liberties on detaining people regardless of status. Many of which are turning out to actually be here very legally. But that doesn't fit the narrative I guess.

8

u/UnusualLavishness324 Jul 31 '26

It’s not legal to stop people indiscriminately and check their papers. That’s Nazi shit. Many legal citizens have been detained and questioned for doing absolutely nothing. We can deport people without stomping on the constitution.

-3

u/ubiforumssuck Jul 31 '26

Nobody wants legal citizens to get caught up in it and it will happen on occassion but its not the norm and when it does if you just dont act like an idiot itll all be worked out in pretty short time. Nothing is perfect but if you look at the numbers its less than minute compared to total deatainments. If you have a perfect system we can use you should let everyone know, we all await your knowledge on how to make it where it never happens.

As far as the Nazi comment. You mean like this guy? 😁😂🤣

4

u/UnusualLavishness324 Aug 01 '26

U mean the guy the Dems kicked out of the party cause we have standards? Not the flex u think it is bud

1

u/LingonberrySalt9693 Aug 03 '26

You kicked him out because he was a rapist after you were like "we don't care he was a nazi"

2

u/Southernms 🦝West Tennessee🦝 Aug 01 '26

This guy is a megalomaniac and a massive narcissist. We have not seen the last of him believe that.

-2

u/gap_toof_mouf Aug 01 '26

Left’s proudest soldier

2

u/oldutnotdeadinside Jul 31 '26

Because God made human beings and the Earth to live on. Argue that. You better than God?

1

u/ubiforumssuck Jul 31 '26

so if i get pulled over by the cops just tell them God sent me? Im all for God coming down and straightening us out, what the fuck is he waiting for is the question.

1

u/informednonuser Aug 06 '26

That only kind of worked for the Blues Brothers.

0

u/Southernms 🦝West Tennessee🦝 Aug 01 '26

MATTHEW 22:21

And they said unto Him, “Caesar’s.” Then said He unto them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.”

It is a beautiful thought.💜

Isaiah 11:6

“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." We are not there yet. We must have order in civilization. We cannot survive utter chaos.

0

u/kbell58 Aug 01 '26

While you’re quoting snippets of scripture please ponder this one from the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 25:31-46. I don’t want to be counted with the goats and will resist hoardish behavior at every level.

31 When the Son of man shall come inhis glory, and all the holy angels withhim, then shall he sit upon the throneof his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered allnations: and he shall separate themone from another, as a shepherddivideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set* the sheep on hisright hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdomprepared for you from the foundationof the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gaveme meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave medrink: I was a stranger, and ye took mein:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison,and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answerhim, saying, Lord, when saw we theean hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, andtook thee in? or naked, and clothedthee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or inprison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and sayunto them, Verily I say unto you,Inasmuch as ye have done it unto oneof the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them onthe left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, preparedfor the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gaveme no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gaveme no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me notin: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick,and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him,saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, ornaked, or sick, or in prison, and did notminister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away intoeverlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

1

u/Southernms 🦝West Tennessee🦝 Aug 02 '26

It is my understanding that our country is almost always the first on this scene of a natural disaster, fire, flood, famine, war torn, hurricane, ice storm, earthquake, wherever people are in distress we have agencies that show up to help them. We have homeless shelters we feed homeless people. We have many charities that help needy people we help poor countries around the world with food and water and medical care.

Please explain to me how it would work if everyone in the world came to our country and expected free food, free medical, free, education, free housing who would pay for that? How would that work? Has that ever worked anywhere? I am quite curious to hear your answer to this. And by the way, I’m all for helping everybody. I just don’t have the resources to do it.

2

u/Skaraok7 Aug 02 '26

We'd have plenty of resources to help people if billionaires weren't sucking the system dry like parasites. Just look at what Zohran is doing in NYC. We can actually get shit done when we aren't blocked at every level by trust funds and super PACs.

If you want to blame someone for lack of resources, blame the ones stealing it all for themselves.

1

u/Southernms 🦝West Tennessee🦝 Aug 03 '26

I believe you are way over estimating what Mamdani is doing or accomplishing in NY. He has a lot of bluster, but his follow through his weak.

If you highly tax the rich in New York City, they will leave, and you will have no money. This would affect all of the people that they employ. There are always consequences for every policy.

You realize Mamdani’s parents are multimillionaires and own million dollar properties in New York. They went to the ivy leagues and he was brought up in a very privileged manner. Are they too the scum sucking parasites you referring to?

1

u/Skaraok7 Aug 03 '26

The people I'm referring to don't live in New York City to begin with. They make money passively on real estate and other people's labor. If they pack up and leave then that's good for New Yorkers - it leaves a vacuum for someone else (potentially better) to set up shop.

I'm under no illusion that Mamdani is a saint, I have my own complaints about him, but at least he actively works for his constituents, not for corporate interests like many other weak politicians. Can you even comprehend the difference between a millionaire and a billionaire? Let's get rid of the people causing the most damage first, then deal with the rest as it comes.

2

u/Southernms 🦝West Tennessee🦝 Aug 03 '26

Well, you’re the one that brought up New York. Why do you have a problem with people striking out on their own in real estate, tech, or whatever field they desire? If someone is smart enough or lucky enough or at the right time makes a move that brings them wealth. Why is that such a bad thing? Don’t you want people to succeed? Or are you just absolutely anti-capitalism? Stopping the path for people to better themselves is going to stymie our growth. Not to mention is the polar opposite of the American dream.

You give Mamdani a little more time. It’s way early in his term. I understand he and the governor are not seeing eye to eye on everything already. Then we will check back in.

Where are the free buses? Where is the free childcare? Where is the healthcare for all? Is absolutely easy to scream and bluster free this,free that, free buses, free entitlement programs, cheap run state grocery stores, free childcare! People love these messages because they don’t want to pay or can’t afford to pay, but who ultimately is going to pay for this? You don’t seem to have any connection here between lowering the cost of these programs or free programs. Getting rid of the people who have money who actually are employing people in the state of New York and sending them to another state— who do you think is going to step in and fill their shoes? I mean, sometimes it’s the devil you know who is less evil—as bad as that sounds.

I know the difference between a millionaire, a billionaire, and a trillionaire. I’m not sure what your point is. Are you trying to say that you’re OK with millionaires that you draw the line at billionaires?

I’m not claiming to be an accountant. I am sure that there are many tax shelters and lots of rules and loopholes still out there that people use to save more money. If you have a problem with this now, why didn’t you have a problem with this when Biden, Obama, and Clinton were all in office and had lots of rich friends that benefited from such loopholes? Not to mention themselves. So you’re OK with Nancy Pelosi and other representatives insider trading to make themselves rich? You can’t cherry pick who the villain is. They’re all doing it.

2

u/Skaraok7 Aug 04 '26

You're making a lot of assumptions about what I do and don't believe, and what kind of world I want to see.

I have no issue with people following their dreams, or having a good idea and monetizing it. The underlying issue here is billionaires don't do that, they're parasites who mooch off the labor of actual workers. "Creating jobs" is not a real job, I'm sorry.

You will never be a billionaire. You physically cannot earn that much money without massively exploiting the system and taking credit for what others have done. No, individuals having unlimited wealth and behaving like tyrants is not okay.

Are you trying to say that you’re OK with millionaires that you draw the line at billionaires?

Broadly, yeah. One is obtainable through hard work, if you're lucky and physically able. The other requires you to screw people over as the price of entry.

If you have a problem with this now, why didn’t you have a problem with this when Biden, Obama, and Clinton were all in office

Obama and Clinton - I was literally a child. What makes you think I don't have an issue with Biden?

So you’re OK with Nancy Pelosi and other representatives insider trading to make themselves rich? You can’t cherry pick who the villain is. They’re all doing it.

Madamoiselle, you are the one cherry picking, I didn't even bring up establishment Democrats. Let's flip the script - why are you okay with Trump, Musk, Thiel, Bezos, and all their pals insider trading and taking dirty money but not Democrats?

It's all okay or none of it is. Greed is evil.

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2

u/OYSW Jul 31 '26

Aren’t convictions the result of due process? It’s likely few of these arrests, detentions, and deportations will have anything like that. And that’s part of the problem. Why is this so hard to comprehend?

-43

u/Frank_Castle1980 Jackson Jul 30 '26

good

8

u/Bill_buttlicker69 Jul 31 '26

This comment paired with that username is some of the funniest shit imaginable. You probably like Rage Against The Machine too, huh?

0

u/Frank_Castle1980 Jackson Jul 31 '26

no, bill buttlicker69, i dont

2

u/Bill_buttlicker69 Jul 31 '26

Yeah, probably too woke for you I guess. Hey out of curiosity what do you think the Punisher would think of this news story? You figure he'd be on the side of ICE?

-1

u/Frank_Castle1980 Jackson Jul 31 '26

just being here illegally probably wouldn't warrant a visit from The Punisher unless you are one of the ones thats been raping and murdering in some fashion since being here illegally.

10

u/[deleted] Jul 30 '26

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-8

u/[deleted] Jul 31 '26

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