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Youth and advocates urge county to push governor to reallocate National Guard and ICE funds to education, housing and mental health
Summary
Commissioners heard pleas from youth and community leaders urging Governor Bill Lee to redirect funds used for National Guard or ICE deployments in Memphis toward mental health, education, housing and other community investments; the commission referred the resolution to committee for further drafting.
A resolution asking Governor Bill Lee to reallocate state funds used to deploy the Tennessee National Guard and federal enforcement resources in Memphis toward evidence-based community investments drew robust youth testimony and was referred to committee on Oct. 27.
The measure, sponsored by Commissioners Erica Sugarman and Harry E. Brooks, lists a range of community investments it would prioritize if the governor redirected those state resources: a regional crime lab, local law-enforcement staffing, education and pre-K programs, housing assistance, expanded mental-health services and a new county jail or hospital capacity as needed.
Several youth speakers from the Shelby County Youth Council testified in favor of redirecting funds to education and mental health. Jordan Coley, a youth representative, said youth mental health is a crisis and urged "invest in the counselors, invest in the safe spaces, invest in the hopes that keep us alive." Brooklyn Reeves said spending on community services creates long-term stability and that the presence of National Guard or enforcement agents can harm student safety and sense of belonging.
Several youth and community advocates explicitly opposed including a new jail as a funding destination within the resolution. London Jordan, an education-justice organizer, told commissioners she supported health and education investments but said, "creating a new jail isn't supportive of the community."
Sponsor Commissioner Thornton asked for clarification from advocacy groups and colleagues about the resolution's language and ultimately moved to refer Item 42 to the November 12 committee meeting so staff and advocates could refine the policy recommendations. The motion to refer passed.
Next steps: committee staff will work with sponsors and advocates to refine the resolution language and scope before the November 12 committee meeting. Commissioners and community groups emphasized assessing existing youth-mental-health investments and producing a clear funding plan before forwarding the measure for a final vote.
