TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 17, 2025

Mayor Lee Harris has declared a state of emergency in Shelby County, citing a strain on local resources caused by the increase in federal and state law enforcement deployed to Memphis by Gov. Bill Lee and President Donald Trump, according to the Tennessee Lookout. It notes pressures on the county’s overcrowded detention centers as a result of an estimated 200% increase in daily arrests made by members of the Memphis Safe Task Force. The emergency declaration loosens spending rules to respond to an increase in arrests, detentions and other costs incurred by law enforcement. The local state of emergency will continue “until the end of Memphis Safe Task Force operations or until detention facility populations are reduced to capacity level or below,” the declaration states. In related news, a group of state and local leaders reportedly have sued the state over deployment of the National Guard to Memphis. The group, which includes Harris, are seeking a preliminary injunction to block their involvement, the Daily Memphian reports.