Back in May, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sparked backlash from congressional Republicans and the Department of Homeland Security when he likened Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to a “modern-day Gestapo.” But disturbing images and video emerging from Los Angeles this week have reignited that comparison — and made it harder to dismiss.
On Monday, heavily armed federal agents, supported by California National Guard troops, flooded MacArthur Park — a public space known as a cultural and social hub for many immigrant communities in L.A. — in a show of force that observers described as militaristic and deeply unsettling. Despite the sweeping display of power, which disrupted families and children in the area, Fox 11 Los Angeles reported no arrests were made.
According to The Associated Press, the deployment included 17 Humvees, four tactical vehicles, and mounted officers — all part of what the Department of Homeland Security called “ongoing enforcement operations.” The unprecedented scale and visibility of the operation drew immediate backlash from local officials and immigrant advocates.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass confronted federal officials directly at the scene. In response, Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino delivered a chilling message:
“The federal government is not leaving L.A. I don’t work for Karen Bass,” he told Fox 11. “We’re going to be here until that mission is accomplished.”
He added ominously, “Better get used to us now, because this is gonna be normal very soon.”
Trump has described the operation as part of his effort to “liberate” Los Angeles — language critics say echoes authoritarian rhetoric. And with the recently passed “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” poised to funnel billions into ICE and Border Patrol, the agency is on track to become the largest law enforcement body in the country.
A new PBS/NPR/Marist poll shows a majority of Americans believe ICE has overstepped in its enforcement tactics, underscoring public unease with Trump’s aggressive immigration agenda. But if the events in MacArthur Park are any indication, the administration appears undeterred — and determined to expand this approach nationwide.
