On June 7th, dozens of military vehicles circled MacArthur Park, just west of Downtown Los Angeles. From running red lights to armed formations, ICE and federal agents made their military presence known. But who commanded ICE to take on the park’s soccer field? Sure, MacArthur Park has its share of undesirables, but they don’t span the entirety of the park, mostly the southeast sections near the man-made lake. The northwest side of the park, otherwise occupied by concertgoers, playing children, families, amateur soccer players, and Frank the Elote Man, became a scene straight out of George Lucas’s Empire Strikes Back with uniformed agents marching in formation across an empty field.
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Despite a large deployment of agents in military-style gear, moving tactically across the park’s soccer field, reports indicate not a single undocumented individual was detained.
Mayor Bass Showed Up – Mad AF
Mayor Bass swiftly arrived at the scene, publicly demanding to speak to the ICE operations chief and calling for the agents’ withdrawal. She later expressed outrage, stating, “It was an egregious use of force; I’m not even sure why they showed up,” and that the operation was “unacceptable” and accusing the federal government of a “political agenda of provoking fear and terror.” California Governor Gavin Newsom echoed her sentiments, calling the incident a “disgrace.”
Million Dollar Stroll in the Park – Not One Detention?
Federal agents, some on horseback and accompanied by armored vehicles, descended on the park, a known hub for immigrant communities. Eyewitnesses reported children at a summer day camp being rushed indoors to avoid trauma.
Despite the significant federal presence, no arrests were confirmed by authorities or observed by journalists. This absence of detentions, combined with the apparent leak of information about the impending operation, has led many to characterize the event as a theatrical display rather than a targeted enforcement action.
A Border Patrol official, Gregory Bovino, told a local Fox News outlet that “the federal government is not leaving L.A.” and that the city “better get used to” their presence as “this is going to be normal very soon,” directly contradicting Mayor Bass’s demands.
The incident is the latest in a series of escalating tensions between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and California’s state and local leadership, who have consistently condemned what they view as aggressive and fear-mongering tactics. The efficacy of such “show of force” operations in achieving stated immigration enforcement goals, particularly when no arrests are made, remains a point of contention and frustration for local officials.
