Unrest is growing across the city as immigration authorities crack down on illegal immigration, which even mobilized troops to parks in downtown Los Angeles (LA).
According to the LA Times on the 7th, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and National Guard troops gathered at MacArthur Park in downtown L.A. They flocked to the center of L.A., where immigrants were concentrated, equipped with armored vehicles and rifles, but few illegal immigrants were seen at the scene.
Citing military officials, the Associated Press reported that 17 military vehicles, four ambulances, dozens of federal agents, and about 90 National Guard troops were deployed to crack down on MacArthur Park.
Since the 6th, rumors of a crackdown have already spread around MacArthur Park, with leaflets saying “ICE is coming in.”
It has not been confirmed whether there have been any arrests at the scene. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security official said, “We cannot comment on the ongoing crackdown.”
“It is so shocking and un-American that federal armed vehicles entered our park,” LA Mayor Karen Bath said at a press conference at City Hall after federal authorities withdrew. “There were no criminals, drug dealers, or gangsters, but only children who participated in summer camps.”
There were not many people in the park because it was Monday, according to on-site video released by Bath’s mayor’s office.
“It was so shocking that the entire city seemed to be under occupation by armed forces,” Bath said. “The plan has nothing but fear, chaos and political calculations. Yesterday it was a home depot, today it was a car wash, tomorrow it was a military truck and military personnel showing up at the park.”
MacArthur Park, along the large lake, was originally called “Westlake Park” and was named “MacArthur Park” after General Douglas MacArthur in the 1940s.
It is a public place equipped with various facilities such as an amphitheater, a soccer field, and a playground, and is frequently visited by Mexican and Latino immigrants. However, the LA Times reported that it is a place where the city government has continued to make maintenance efforts as it is notorious for its frequent drug use.
Chris Newman, legal director of the National Workers’ Organization Network, pointed out that the ICE crackdown is “more like a reality TV show than an actual crackdown.”
He said that after ICE agents recently arrested a large number of illegal immigration workers in front of a nearby Home Depot store, crowds in downtown areas such as MacArthur Park have decreased significantly.
“The reason why the Trump administration targeted the park is because of the people who live here and the values it represents,” said Representative Eunice Hernandez of Los Angeles. “What happened today is not just an incident but a warning. What happened at MacArthur Park will happen elsewhere soon.”
SAM KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
