Heavily armed personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and military units deployed by President Trump arrived in force at MacArthur Park—some wielding rifles, while others patrolled on foot, horseback, and in armored vehicles.
Bass, a Democrat who was scheduled to meet with California Governor Gavin Newsom that morning, arrived during the operation and directly confronted the agents, demanding their departure from the park and condemning the raid as a “political stunt.”
“They need to leave and they need to leave right now!” Bass shouted after speaking with someone coordinating the officers. “What I witnessed in the park today resembled a city under siege,” she told reporters following the confrontation. “It is outrageous and un-American to have armed vehicles in our American parks.”
Bass stayed at the park only briefly after her discussion with CBP Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David Kim, who, according to her, provided a direct line to “the head of Customs.” Bass stated that the agents began to depart shortly thereafter. However, a Border Patrol official asserted that federal agencies are not retreating—and had pointed remarks for Bass in response.
“The federal government is not leaving LA. … The federal government does not work for Karen Bass. We will be here until that mission is accomplished,” Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino told FOX Los Angeles. “You better get used to us now because this will soon become the norm,” he added.
Bass and members of the Los Angeles City Council stated that the immigration sweep interrupted a summer camp for children, necessitating staff to relocate the children to a nearby basement while they awaited the clearance of federal agents from the area. It is still uncertain whether any arrests were made during the sweep, as activists had circulated around the park to alert individuals to vacate prior to the arrival of the officers, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
