Memphis residents file lawsuit alleging abuses by Trump-backed task force
Summary
Four Memphis residents have filed a lawsuit accusing President Donald Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force of harassment and retaliation during an immigration and crime crackdown. The lawsuit claims the task force intimidated people who filmed their actions, violating First Amendment rights.Key Facts
- The Memphis Safe Task Force started in September under President Trump in partnership with state and local officials.
- The lawsuit says agents harassed and arrested people filming or observing their activities, which are protected by the First Amendment.
- Agents allegedly used threats, physical intimidation, and unsafe driving near activists.
- The task force has made about 120,000 traffic stops in Memphis, a city of nearly 610,000 people, mostly Black residents.
- The task force includes Tennessee State Troopers, the Tennessee National Guard, and 13 federal agencies.
- The US Attorney General and heads of ICE and DHS are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
- The Department of Justice denies wrongdoing and says law enforcement efforts are fair and professional.
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is representing the plaintiffs and emphasizes the right to record public law enforcement.
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