A massive immigration enforcement operation is underway in Los Angeles, with U.S. ground forces deployed in the area.
On Monday (the 6th), Border Patrol officials announced that agents will remain in Los Angeles "until the mission is done." Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass slammed federal law enforcement for conducting sweeps of undocumented immigrants in local parks. Heavily armed agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and military troops deployed by President Trump descended on MacArthur Park—patrolling on foot, horseback, and in armored vehicles, rifles in hand.
In a post on X, the U.S. Department of Defense stated that military personnel are on the ground to ensure the safety of federal agents. "We will protect federal law enforcement and assist in securing the border," the Pentagon wrote. Approximately 90 armed soldiers are said to be part of the operation, supporting immigration authorities.
It’s still unclear who or what the target of the operation is; local media footage showed agents in a nearly empty park. Officials added that the raid also forced out staff from St. John’s Community Health Center, who were conducting their daily check-ins with the homeless in the park.
Defense officials noted that the troops were deployed to set up security perimeters, protecting federal agents from potential hostile crowds. All soldiers involved are active-duty members of the California National Guard.
The Los Angeles Police Department said it had no prior knowledge of the federal operation at MacArthur Park.
Mayor Bass, who was scheduled to meet with California Governor Gavin Newsom that morning, arrived mid-operation, yelling at agents to leave the park and denouncing the operation as a "political stunt." "They [agents, troops] need to leave. They need to leave right now!" she shouted after coordinating with police.
"What I saw in that park today was a city under siege," she told reporters after the confrontation. "Armed vehicles parked in an American park—it’s excessive, and it’s un-American."
Bass spent only a short time in the park after speaking with David Kim, assistant chief patrol agent for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who gave her a direct line to "CBP leadership," she added. She noted that CBP personnel left shortly afterward.
A Border Patrol official vowed the federal agency wouldn’t back down, directing comments at Bass herself. "The federal government is not leaving Los Angeles... The federal government does not work for Karen Bass. We’ll be here until the job is done," Gregory Bovino, chief of the Border Patrol’s El Centro Sector, told Fox Los Angeles. "Better get used to us now, because this is going to be the new normal soon."
Officials said the operation involved roughly 17 Humvees, 4 military cargo trucks, and 2 military ambulances. Troops were told they could defend themselves and protect federal employees if needed; if someone posed a threat, forces could briefly detain them before handing them over to law enforcement.
Earlier this summer, Trump deployed approximately 4,700 troops to California under Title 10, which allows the use of military forces to protect federal personnel and property.
Los Angeles has become a flashpoint for the Trump administration’s immigration policies, with chaotic raids and protests rocking the city last month. The Trump administration subsequently sued the city, alleging Los Angeles is obstructing immigration enforcement through its sanctuary city policies.
Bass said the city of Los Angeles is mounting a legal challenge against Trump over the raids and military deployment in Los Angeles. |
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