Memphis Democrat Congressman Supports Part Of Federal-State Crimefighting Surge

Cohen opposes National Guard deployment, ICE action.

Image Credit: Congressman Steve Cohen / Facebook & Canva

***Note from The Tennessee Conservative: This article posted here for informational purposes only.

By Sam Stockard [Tennessee Lookout -CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] –

Democrat U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen said Monday he backs the buildup of some federal law enforcement agencies in a Memphis crime-fighting effort but opposes deployment of the National Guard and stepped-up immigration enforcement.

Cohen, who has represented Memphis in Congress since 2007, said the surge’s purpose should be “law enforcement” for criminal violations such as murder, rape and assault, not mobilization of the military and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for immigration violations, which are civil cases.

“My concern is the National Guard gives the impression that the city may not be hospitable to visitors and may make people feel uncomfortable,” Cohen said. “I’m afraid it may be the National Guard usually comes with ICE, and the rest of this may be somewhat of a red herring, really here to deport people.”

President Donald Trump launched the Memphis crime task force with Gov. Bill Lee’s cooperation more than two weeks ago.

The U.S. Marshals Service, which is coordinating the operation, reported last week that 187 people were arrested on administrative ICE warrants, meaning they could be deported, while more than 400 people were arrested on “warrants,” with no explanation given, and 155 for “other” reasons. The biggest numbers were for traffic citations, 4,600, outpacing 1,044 total arrests, including eight for homicide, 48 for sex offenses, 100 for firearms violations and 116 for drug violations.

Cohen could not speak to the wide gap between arrests and the more than 4,000 traffic citations issued to Memphis motorists but said those could be used as a reason to stop people. He pointed out Memphis has had “terrible incidents” on its highways stemming from drag racing and noted that two police officers were charged with drag racing recently. 

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said last week his office had heard reports of “racial profiling” by the task force as the county filed suit against the state to halt deployment of the National Guard.

State Rep. Justin Pearson, who recently announced he is challenging Cohen in the 2026 Democratic primary for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, opposes the buildup, calling the National Guard mobilization a “military occupation” designed to control Black communities rather than reduce crime.

Pearson said Monday the governor’s deployment of Guard troops in Memphis violates the Tennessee Constitution.

“No one is above the law, nor should anyone be allowed to abuse our state Constitution to advance the policies of the Trump administration,” Pearson said in a text message.

While Cohen did not address Harris’s comments about profiling, Pearson said he is “deeply concerned” about ICE and immigration detentions as well as the targeting of Black and brown motorists instead of violent criminals.

Rather than an “illegally” mobilized military sent to “criminalize” groups of residents, Pearson said his Memphis district needs federal investment to eradicate poverty and curb gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children in Tennessee, said Pearson, who blamed the Republican-controlled legislature, governor and gun lobby for the escalation.

Cohen said the FBI has been in Memphis for years, with either a headquarters or branch, and worked on an operation earlier this summer with local and state law enforcement agencies to cut crime. Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis both said they received support from the federal agency, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

“I have no problem with that if they’re helping our crime situation,” Cohen said. “And our crime situation is hurtful to the victims of the crime, but it’s certainly hurtful to Memphis in addition because it makes people question whether they want to visit and whether they want to have a convention here.”