Congressman Cohen’s Statement on President Trump’s Visit to Memphis

MEMPHIS - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) released the following statement in advance of President Trump's scheduled visit to Memphis on Monday to discuss the work of the Memphis Safe Task Force, a multi-agency federal effort addressing crime since last September:

"With everything going on in the world - war in Iran and its disruption of oil shipments and gas price spikes, war in Ukraine, and who knows what in Venezuela and Cuba - the President has decided it's a good time to come to Memphis and talk about the Memphis Safe Task Force.

"I was and remain concerned about the image the surge in federal manpower and the presence of the National Guard sends the country, and its effect on local tourism and business generally. Crime is going down but it had been declining before the task force arrived thanks to the cooperative efforts of Mayor Paul Young and Police Chief Cerelyn Davis. In fact, crime is down worldwide.

"I have been critical from the start of the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on our streets. Memphis doesn't have an immigration problem and ICE has not been arresting and deporting 'the worst of the worst.' It has instead disrupted the lives of hard-working people in our community and traumatized whole neighborhoods. I continue to encourage ICE to leave and allow National Guard members to return to their families and communities.

"In the long run, what we need from the President is a commitment to improve affordable housing, enhance educational opportunities, strengthen workforce development efforts, address the affordability crisis, reduce poverty, and help provide for a stronger and more effective police force by making funding available to bring us up to our manpower goals and standards. If he committed to those goals, his visit to Memphis could be both important and historic. However, his administration's efforts to dismantle the social safety net suggest that will not be the purpose of this trip. Unless he is talking about long-term investments to support our community, his trip will not have been beneficial to Memphis.

"It is a bad idea for him make a hasty visit to Memphis now given the worldwide crises he has caused or worsened."

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