Green Campaigns in Memphis Amid ICE Debate
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green attended a Día de los Muertos celebration in Memphis while criticizing immigration enforcement.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green made a stop at a Día de los Muertos celebration in Memphis ahead of Election Day, November 3. Green criticized the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the city.
Why it matters
Immigration enforcement has become a central issue in the Tennessee governor's race, with Green and Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn offering opposing views on ICE operations in Memphis. Green said the activity has created fear among families and made some residents feel less secure.
Green's campaign has included approximately 250 stops across Tennessee, and Election Day is November 3. Blackburn's January 2026 social media post praising conditions after ICE officers took to Memphis streets is the most recent documented statement in the extraction on the issue.
The players
Jerri Green
Jerri Green is the Democratic candidate for governor of Tennessee who has campaigned across the state and criticized immigration enforcement in Memphis.
Marsha Blackburn
Marsha Blackburn is the Republican candidate for governor of Tennessee and a U.S. senator who has publicly supported ICE operations in Memphis.
The details
At the Día de los Muertos event, Green said she has spoken with local law enforcement leadership and the mayor about her concerns regarding immigration enforcement. She also said she believes political district boundaries contribute to voter apathy.
Timeline
January 2026: Blackburn posts that conditions in Memphis improved since ICE officers took to the streets.
November 3: Election Day for the Tennessee gubernatorial race.
Political Context
The gubernatorial race turns on the federal ICE operations in Memphis, with Blackburn defending the enforcement as improving conditions and Green arguing it has made families afraid. The disagreement sets the terms of the November 3 contest in Tennessee.
Memphis residents weighing the governor's race will see immigration enforcement as a central dividing issue between the two major candidates. Voters evaluating candidates on this issue will have a clear contrast in positions ahead of Election Day.
The takeaway
Voters in Memphis and across Tennessee face a clear choice on immigration enforcement as they weigh the candidates ahead of November 3.
What happens next
Election Day is November 3, when Tennessee voters will choose the next governor.
Further reading
For more on the state's contest, see Elections coverage in Memphis.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Actionnews5.
Live Poll
In your community, does immigration enforcement make people feel safer or less safe?
