Feds Move in on L.A.s Drug-Infested MacArthur

Last July, there was a huge immigration sweep in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park that had Democrats like town’s mayor, Karen Bass, and then-Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) gaslighting about how supposedly secure and family-friendly it was, and how the feds must “get out now.”

Their claims about the park have been at odds with actuality, however, as many who either lived in or had visited the world 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 mud cleared, we came upon 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 might been reliably informed was secure and family-friendly.

SEE ALSO: Caught: LAFD’s Secret Plan to Protect Karen Bass and Dept. From Fire Report Fallout

As with many issues Karen Bass does, though, it did not work, and the issues endured.

But on Wednesday, the feds moved in on MacArthur Park and took care of business — in a big means:

“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.

To the drug sellers poisoning the streets of Los Angeles: your secure haven is gone. pic.twitter.com/dNaVDitSTM

— Acting AG Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) May 6, 2026

A message on the DOJ’s X web page famous 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 management of @POTUS, we’re crushing the drug commerce and saving numerous American lives: 25 alleged drug sellers and traffickers have been arrested and federally charged in the last 24 hours.

These defendants and anybody who helps unfold the scourge of medication… pic.twitter.com/mbvTr13KqD

— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) May 6, 2026

Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on his X web 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 brokers have taken control of MacArthur Park to execute federal arrest and search warrants focusing on the infamous open-air drug market there. 

We are going after avenue sellers and suppliers of huge quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Over the last 24 hours, federal and local law enforcement have began arresting 25 defendants charged in a federal legal grievance with possessing and distributing harmful narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine.

The park’s #1 drug trafficker, a Calabasas resident, is in federal custody and faces potential life imprisonment. The other defendants arrested today also face many years in federal prison.

Along with a latest federal and local takedown of the 18th Street gang, which claims the park’s northern space as its so-called “territory,” today’s enforcement motion reveals that 

@TheJusticeDept and @DEAHQ are decided to combat drug traffickers poisoning our residents.

Operation Free MacArthur Park

Federal brokers have taken control of MacArthur Park to execute federal arrest and search warrants focusing on the infamous open-air drug market there.

We are going after avenue sellers and suppliers of huge quantities of fentanyl and… pic.twitter.com/sozcSCGo5u

— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) May 6, 2026

This is what real management seems like. It’s the distinction between carrying through on your pledge to keep residents secure and to return to law and order, versus the band-aid on a damaged leg method – or no method at all.

Next time Karen Bass and her buddy, former VP Kamala Harris, boast about “crime drops” in L.A., they need to give a shout-out to the feds because I guarantee you whatever drop in crime there was 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 every part they’ll to intrude with and threaten ICE brokers implementing our immigration legal guidelines.

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