TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 22, 2025

The City of Memphis was not asked to join a pending lawsuit against Gov. Bill Lee seeking to end the National Guard deployment to the city, The Daily Memphian reports. When asked why the city was not asked to join the lawsuit, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said, “That’s not a live issue. That’s not an issue that was discussed.” Activist Tikeila Rucker said the decision to exclude the city reflected Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s strategy of cooperating with state and federal law enforcement agencies participating in the Memphis Safe Task Force. Young has voiced opposition to the Guard’s deployment, and said the decision ultimately rests with the governor. Harris emphasized that the lawsuit focuses solely on the Guard’s presence, and not on the other law enforcement agencies. Harris, City Council member JB Smiley Jr. and several other activists and elected officials filed the suit in Davidson County Chancery Court last week. Chancellor Patricia Moskal denied an immediate restraining order. A hearing on a temporary injunction is scheduled for Nov. 3.