Memphis Residents Sue Trump-Backed Task Force Over Alleged Harassment

Four residents of Memphis, Tennessee, have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration and various federal and state agencies, alleging systematic harassment and retaliation by the Memphis Safe Task Force. The complaint, filed in May 2026, claims that task force agents violated the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights by intimidating, threatening, and arresting individuals who were legally recording law enforcement activities. The lawsuit describes incidents where government vehicles swerved at activists and agents responded with hostility to bystanders documenting arrests. Initiated in September 2025 in collaboration with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the task force includes members of the National Guard, state troopers, and agents from thirteen federal agencies, including ICE and DHS. Plaintiffs note that the force has conducted approximately 120,000 traffic stops in the majority-Black city. Defendants include acting US Attorney General Blanche and heads of homeland security agencies. The Department of Justice has denied the allegations, asserting its commitment to professional law enforcement. This legal action highlights growing tensions over civil liberties and military deployment in US cities under President Trump's second term, echoing similar controversies in Los Angeles and Chicago.