Vecendarios 901, a “rapid response” activist group based in Memphis, claims that calls to its hotline from people concerned about federal immigration enforcement rose by about 2,700 percent from the number of calls recorded during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.
Tennessee Lookout on Wednesday reported the claim by Hunter Demster, an activist associated with Vecendarios 901, that calls to the group’s hotline have risen from a high average of five per day during Trump’s first term to as many as 140 calls per day following Trump’s return to the White House.
“The vast majority of calls are people scared to leave their houses or pulled over,” Demster told the outlet. “But we’ve also pushed this number out at community events and, now, the average person sees something and calls us.”
Vecendarios 901 volunteers reportedly serve as “dispatchers,” while other activists like Demster, “drive two-hour patrol shifts” seeking to confirm alleged sightings of the Memphis Safe Task Force engaged in immigration enforcement.
“The information serves both as a warning to avoid locations with a heavy law enforcement presence and an ongoing documentation of Task Force activity,” according to the Lookout.
In October, just days after the Memphis Safe Task Force was deployed to the city, Demster claimed Vecendarios 901 was receiving “calls about people that have been snatched up” by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demster renewed this claim to the Lookout.
“They may say this isn’t strictly an ICE operation, but when you flood the two largest Hispanic communities in the city, we see it’s an ICE operation under the false pretenses of we’re here to stop violent criminals,” claimed the activist.
Demster was previously arrested during an organized protest against former Attorney General Bill Barr during the protests that enveloped the nation following the death of George Floyd.
Prior social media history reveals Vecendarios 901 members spoke at a 2019 meeting of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and the following year, they participated in a Black Lives Matter protest held after the death of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) on Wednesday confirmed the data recently published by the City of Memphis, showing the total amount of crime in the city dropped to levels not seen since at least 2001 after the task force arrived.
– – –
Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
This is great news! I find it humorous that it’s reported ICE is arresting people with no criminal record along with the criminals. IF THEY’RE IN OUR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY, THEY ARE CRIMINALS! What is always glossed over is America has a legal pathway to citizenship. These third worlders have NO right to flood into our country and suck up government benefits. They ARE NOT U.S. citizens and have paid nothing into the system. Round them all up and throw them out.