Last July, there was a massive immigration sweep in Los Angeles' MacArthur Park that had Democrats like the city's mayor, Karen Bass, and then-Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) gaslighting about how supposedly safe and family-friendly it was, and how the feds must "get out now."
Their claims about the park were at odds with reality, however, as many who either lived in or had visited the area explained at the time. This was one of many examples:
“It is a playground, a picnic spot, a community spot” - Eric Swalwell, telling us he’s never been to MacArthur Park without telling us he’s never been to MacArthur Parkpic.twitter.com/SgSq1MgdIZ https://t.co/luV6Lo0oAY
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) July 8, 2025
After all the smoke and dust cleared, we found out that Bass had, months later, quietly "greenlighted a multi-million dollar project to clean up the city’s drug-filled MacArthur Park — mere months after the Democrat berated immigration officers who tried to do the same thing in the troubled greenspace." The rationale for the Bass-approved clean-up was "ongoing public safety and quality of life challenges" at the drug and gang-infested park we'd been reliably informed was safe and family-friendly.
SEE ALSO: Caught: LAFD's Secret Plan to Protect Karen Bass and Dept. From Fire Report Fallout
As with many things Karen Bass does, though, it didn't work, and the problems persisted.
But on Wednesday, the feds moved in on MacArthur Park and took care of business -- in a big way:
“Today, we begin reclaiming MacArthur Park from criminals and drug addicts to return this public space to the citizens of Los Angeles,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Together with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we are executing multiple arrest and search warrants targeting those who are distributing drugs in and around the park.”
“For far too long, MacArthur Park has been plagued by drug addiction, crime, and despair,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division. “Today’s operation is only one step, taken by a handful of agencies working hard to alleviate the anguish and sense of hopelessness burdening MacArthur Park, local businesses, and the surrounding neighborhood. While this is a drug enforcement operation, it is also an effort to restore safety and wellness, and to return MacArthur Park back to the community.”
“Today’s operation shows the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We witnessed drug activity return to MacArthur Park, and our teams acted quickly to disrupt both the dealers and the suppliers behind them. Fentanyl remains one of the most dangerous threats to our community, and we are committed to keeping it off our streets. We will remain relentless, alongside our federal partners, in protecting the people of Los Angeles from dangerous drug activity.”
Agents from @DEAHQ and officers from the @LAPDHQ have taken back MacArthur Park.
— Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) May 6, 2026
To the drug dealers poisoning the streets of Los Angeles: your safe haven is gone. pic.twitter.com/dNaVDitSTM
A message on the DOJ's X page noted that "Under the fearless leadership of @POTUS, we are crushing the drug trade and saving countless American lives: 25 alleged drug dealers and traffickers have been arrested and federally charged in the last 24 hours."
They went on to write that, "These defendants and anyone who helps spread the scourge of drugs in America will face the full force of federal law."
Under the fearless leadership of @POTUS, we are crushing the drug trade and saving countless American lives: 25 alleged drug dealers and traffickers have been arrested and federally charged in the last 24 hours.
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) May 6, 2026
These defendants and anyone who helps spread the scourge of drugs… pic.twitter.com/mbvTr13KqD
Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on his X page that "The park’s #1 drug trafficker, a Calabasas resident, is in federal custody and faces possible life imprisonment. The other defendants arrested today also face decades in federal prison."
Operation Free MacArthur Park
Federal agents have taken control of MacArthur Park to execute federal arrest and search warrants targeting the notorious open-air drug market there.
We are going after street dealers and suppliers of massive amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Over the last 24 hours, federal and local law enforcement have started arresting 25 defendants charged in a federal criminal complaint with possessing and distributing dangerous narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The park’s #1 drug trafficker, a Calabasas resident, is in federal custody and faces possible life imprisonment. The other defendants arrested today also face decades in federal prison.
Along with a recent federal and local takedown of the 18th Street gang, which claims the park’s northern area as its so-called “territory,” today’s enforcement action shows that
@TheJusticeDept and @DEAHQ are determined to fight drug traffickers poisoning our citizens.
Operation Free MacArthur Park
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) May 6, 2026
Federal agents have taken control of MacArthur Park to execute federal arrest and search warrants targeting the notorious open-air drug market there.
We are going after street dealers and suppliers of massive amounts of fentanyl and… pic.twitter.com/sozcSCGo5u
This is what real leadership looks like. It's the difference between carrying through on your pledge to keep residents safe and to return to law and order, versus the band-aid on a broken leg approach - or no approach at all.
Next time Karen Bass and her buddy, former VP Kamala Harris, boast about "crime drops" in L.A., they should give a shout-out to the feds because I guarantee you whatever drop in crime there has been has had a lot to do with the immigration enforcement sweeps and other actions like those taken Wednesday.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
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