After four years of rising crime under the last administration, President Trump made a promise to make American cities safe again. With the Memphis Safe Task Force, he is taking a huge step to make that happen.

Over the summer, the FBI under Director Patel launched Operation Viper in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Marshals, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to get crime under control in Memphis, which last year saw the highest crime rate in the country. As a result of the operation, there have been more than 500 arrests and 100 federal indictments. 

Now, the Trump administration is launching the next phase of its efforts to restore law and order in the city. Late last month, I had the honor of joining President Trump as he signed an executive order to send additional federal resources to Memphis. In total, 13 federal agencies, as well as the Tennessee National Guard, are working with local and state officials to support the Memphis Police Department and lock up violent criminals.

Already, the operation is delivering results. In the first four days, authorities made 153 arrests,including a Tren de Aragua gang member, an alleged child rapist, and a man suspected of assaulting a federal officer.

This support has been desperately needed. Right now, the Memphis Police Department is short 500 officers, with just over 20 people in its recruitment class. With federal law enforcement helping keep the peace, Memphis police are empowered to track down repeat, violent criminals, including gang members who have terrorized city residents for far too long. 

"Every criminal infraction that we can enforce against the element in this city that has been causing all of the heartache, pain, suffering, and death, we are going to enforce," White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said during a visit last week to the Memphis task force alongside Attorney General Bondi and Secretary of War Hegseth.

For years, Memphians have demanded meaningful action to address the city’s crime crisis. Now, Memphis has all the resources it needs to finally end it.

To accomplish that, however, we need to make certain that violent criminals are not only arrested, but that they also remain behind bars. In too many cases, soft-on-crime prosecutors and judges have allowed violent criminals back on the streets without bail to continue their criminal activity.

After the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office enacted a policy that made it easier for criminals to avoid pre-trial detention, residents have suffered tragedy after tragedy. Last year, an 18-year-old who was released without bond after stealing multiple vehicles went on to murder a man in an attempted robbery. Just days earlier, a man released without bail after being charged with auto theft and unlawful possession of a weapon killed a Memphis police officer in a shootout.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that I chaired last week on “Blue City Chaos and Tragedy,” State Senator Brent Taylor, who represents parts of Memphis, told me that soft-on-crime prosecutors are the “weak link” in the city’s law enforcement efforts, noting that cases tried by local authorities are likely to be dismissed.

After years of senseless violence, we cannot allow the hard work of the Memphis Safe Task Force to go to waste. To ensure that the rule of law is enforced, I recently reintroduced the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act, legislation backed by the White House that would ban the award of certain federal funds to states and localities that limit the use of cash bail.

In addition, I’ve introduced legislation to eliminate cashless bail in Washington, D.C., crack down on carjackers, empower prosecutors to hold violent, repeat offenders accountable, and help keep violent criminals behind bars.

President Trump is making Memphis safe again. With these pieces of legislation, we can ensure that Memphis is the safest city in America.