The U.S. attorney general and defense secretary are on the ground in Memphis, Tennessee, as a task force of more than a dozen federal agencies have already made multiple arrests.

Memphis

A federal task force comprised of approximately 650 personnel from 19 agencies has been deployed to Memphis, resulting in 52 arrests within the first two days. Of these, 36 were criminal arrests related to firearms, drugs, and outstanding warrants, while 17 were civil immigration arrests. The operation is led by the U.S. Marshals Service and includes agents from the Department of Homeland Security, IRS Criminal Division, and Diplomatic Security Services. National Guard personnel are expected to join the effort soon. The initiative in Memphis differs from similar operations in other cities, as it was requested by Tennessee's governor and is not solely focused on immigration enforcement. The city has recently seen a reduction in violent crime, with a notable decrease in homicides.

What to know about federal task force arrests in Memphis

We begin tonight with an expanding show of force in Memphis. The U.S. Attorney General and Defense Secretary were on the ground there today as the task force of more than a dozen federal agencies ramp up arrests. CBS's Homeland Security and Justice correspondent, Nicole Skanga, has been reporting out the details of all this and joins us from Washington. So, Nicole, tell us what's going on in Memphis. Yeah, John, roughly 650 law enforcement personnel from 19 agencies are now walking the streets of Memphis. During their first two days on the ground, U.S. government data we obtained shows that 52 arrests were made. Of those, 36 were criminal arrests for charges involving illegal firearms, drugs, warrants, but 17 were civil immigration arrests. Now, who exactly is on the ground right now might surprise you. The mission's actually being led by the U.S. Marshals Service, but according to senior law enforcement officials, there are also over 100 agents sent by the Department of Homeland Security. Inc., HSI, ICBP, plus special agents from the IRS Criminal Division and even personnel from the Diplomatic Security Services. Still, there's just one official from the U.S. Attorney's Office on the ground raising the question, who's going to prosecute these crimes? And as you mentioned earlier, National Guard are expected to arrive as soon as next week. We should also note, John, Memphis has tackled the issue of gun violence for years, but has been making some inroads in reducing violent crime. Last year, homicides dropped by about 25 percent. Nicole, put this in context with the other cities where there have been federal actions and how this compares. What's happening in Memphis is different from what we saw play out in L.A. and what we're likely to see in Portland and Chicago. That's because those are targeted immigration enforcement operations bolstered by federalized National Guard. So far, this operation looks similar to what we saw on the streets here in Washington, D.C. last month, highly visible hybrid law enforcement patrols making criminal and civil immigration arrests. Only in the case of Memphis, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee actually invited the help. In the case of D.C., a CBS News analysis showed the federal task force saw a decrease in violent crime by almost half. That is considerable, but AP News reported more than 40 percent of the arrests made were actually related to immigration, which begs the question, John, will Memphis also be an immigration ramp up advertised as a crime crackdown? As for what city is next, Louisiana Governor Mitch Landry has volunteered his state. Keep your eye on New Orleans.

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