U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, flanked by state and federal officials, came to Memphis Nov. 24 to tout the work of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
Bondi was joined behind a lectern by Director of the U.S. Marshals Service Gadyaces Serralta, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, Gov. Bill Lee and U.S. Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn inside the Shelby County Office of Preparedness.
Bondi touted “more than 3,100” arrests made by the Memphis Safe Task Force, saying 327 “known gang members” were arrested and 501 firearms have been seized since it started operations on Sept. 29. She also took a shot at Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal, who recently granted a temporary injunction against the deployment of the National Guard.
That temporary injunction will not go into effect while the ruling is being appealed, however.
“Tolerating crime is a choice. This administration chooses law and order and making America safe again,” Bondi said. “President [Donald] Trump chooses to protect the good people of Memphis — every neighborhood and every family. Unfortunately, the safety of our community has been compromised by some judges who continue to obstruct our efforts. I wish they are all watching this, and I hope they’re seeing what we’re doing here in Memphis. We will not coddle violent criminals at the expense of law-abiding citizens.
“We will use every legal means at our disposal to make America safe again and to keep Americans safe.”
Part of those legal means, Bondi said, was focusing on charging as many people as possible who have been arrested in federal court. According to U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Michael Dunavant, 157 federal charges had been filed as of Nov. 24. Dunavant was in the audience of the press conference.
HUD secretary promotes hotline
Turner also took time to introduce a new hotline for HUD residents to submit reports of illegal activity in HUD housing. He also encouraged neighbors to report residents they suspect of having immigrated to the United States illegally via the hotline.
“We will clean up our public housing so that they can fulfill their function of sanctuaries for the most vulnerable people in our country,” Turner said. “Where American citizens can get a temporary hand up and then gain independence from government help, specifically, American citizens. That’s who we want to help. Illegal aliens have no place in public housing. It’s outrageous that people who should not be here come across our borders and usurp spots in housing units that support the American people.”
Also in attendance at the press conference were Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis, City of Memphis Attorney Tannera Gibson, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Memphis City Councilman Ford Canale, U.S. Rep. David Kustoff, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton and U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee Tyreece Miller.
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