Furor Over Los Angeles’s MacArthur Park Illustrates Democrats’ Total Departure From Reality
We don’t have politics. We don’t ‘disagree.’We don’t have politics. We don’t ‘disagree.’Stop pretending the Democrats are imploding
Democratic leaders aren’t inciting attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers out of pure hatred for Donald Trump and his administration. Their motives are strategic. Practical. By undermining immigration enforcement, they protect a pipeline of future Democratic voters — including violent criminals like the “family man from Maryland.”
Once these illegal aliens receive driver’s licenses, they’ll land on voter rolls. They already count in the census, inflating congressional representation in blue states teeming with illegal immigrants. Democrats didn’t bring these “newcomers” here just to deport them.
Republicans imagine that all or at least most Americans are on the same wavelength with them. But that may not be the case.
If activists now ambush and shoot ICE agents, Democratic leaders seem to treat that as a price worth paying to preserve their long-term electoral advantage. And they can count on the corporate left-wing media to help them.
The press operates as an extension of the Democratic Party, not just in the United States but across the Western world. CNN, NBC, and MSNBC broadcast the same spin you’ll hear on CBC, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and France 4. With this media backing, Democrats face little scrutiny — even when they tacitly abet violence against federal agents.
Right now, public support for deportations hovers around 50%, and it might be higher if the media didn’t stage-manage the narrative. Watch a few minutes of network television or skim the New York Times, and you’ll come away thinking border czar Tom Homan’s raids target preschoolers and migrant field hands.
Fox News insists the anti-Trump mobs are just fringe radicals. They’re not. A massive leftist electorate just nominated Zohran Mamdani to be the next mayor of New York City, and if the polls mean anything, he just might win in the fall. Other major cities are led by mayors only slightly less radical — Karen Bass in Los Angeles, Brandon Johnson in Chicago, Michelle Wu in Boston. When it comes to immigration, they’re just as hostile to ICE and just as gushingly sympathetic to illegal aliens as Mamdani.
The “people” voted for these multicultural, America-be-damned leftists. The fantasy that Democratic voters are victims of a hijacked party is infantile nonsense. A growing share of the American electorate has radicalized — including black voters, government employees, and especially college-educated white women, who dominate the culturally leftist bloc in my own Pennsylvania borough.
Despite years of street violence, riots, and inflammatory rhetoric, the Democrats haven’t collapsed. They still hold a slight edge in the generic congressional ballot. RealClearPolitics polling shows the GOP ahead by only seven points. The Democrats may have lost ground — but they’re far from finished.
RELATED: ‘The Suicide Squad’: How Democrats keep blowing themselves up
Let’s not forget: In the last presidential election, Democrats lost the popular vote by just two million votes, running a hapless candidate against an incumbent with enormous political energy. That’s how effective the Democratic machine remains — even in a lopsided matchup.
No one should mistake this for incompetence or insanity. Yes, the party boasts plenty of scatterbrained motor mouths such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). But don’t confuse theatrics with disarray. Democratic leaders push grotesque policies — mutilating children with “gender-affirming” surgeries, putting men in women’s sports, promoting race-based discrimination — but voters haven’t punished them for it.
Republican observers tend to judge the other side by their own standards. They also imagine that all or at least most Americans are on the same wavelength with them. But that may not be the case. Democrats don’t even pretend to feel regret when ICE officers take a bullet or when anarchists torch city blocks. They know their base relishes in the havoc.
This is calculated politics. Democrats want to expand their base through mass migration and lawfare, not persuasion. That’s cold strategy, not insanity.
If Republicans want to win, they need to stop imagining their opponents are self-destructing lunatics. They aren’t. Democrats play to win. The GOP must prepare for a real fight — not fantasyland.
Let’s Compare Headlines Before And After ICE Cleaned Up LA’s Crime-Ridden MacArthur Park
Mayor Karen Bass couldn’t harm Los Angeles more if she were an actual enemy sent to destroy it.California cities cancel 4th of July events to shield illegal aliens amid anti-ICE madness
Several California cities canceled their Fourth of July celebrations, reportedly citing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities as the reason for the last-minute decision.
With President Donald Trump's vow to execute the biggest deportation effort in the nation's history, ICE has increased its efforts to find and detain illegal aliens.
'This disdain for the average citizen is typical of California's Democrat leadership.'
California, the state with the largest illegal immigrant population, has been a prime target of the administration's immigration enforcement activities, sparking mass protests and even destructive rioting last month.
Now, several California cities are reportedly faulting ICE for their decision to cancel Independence Day celebrations.
The city of Cudahy, located in southeastern Los Angeles, announced last Wednesday that it was "postponing" an Independence Day celebration scheduled for July 3 "due to recent events and concerns regarding the safety of our residents."
The post did not directly cite ICE activities as the reason for the postponement. As of Tuesday, the event had not been rescheduled.
Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez faced calls to resign, including from the L.A. police union, after she appeared to call on the city's street gangs to stop ICE's operations.
In a now-deleted June video, Gonzalez said, "I want to know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles: 18th Street, Florencia. Where's the leadership at? Because you guys are all about territory and 'This is 18th Street,' and, 'This is Florencia.' You guys tag everything up, claiming hood and now that your hood's being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain't a peep out of you."
"Whoever's the leadership over there, just f**king get your members in order," Gonzalez added.
Matt Himes, a California resident and the managing editor for Blaze Media's Align, stated, "Last week L.A. County official Cynthia Gonzalez allegedly went on TikTok to encourage local gang members to fight back against ICE. She didn't ask how her law-abiding constituents felt about the prospect of open warfare in their neighborhood. This disdain for the average citizen is typical of California's Democrat leadership."
Bell Gardens, a city located just east of Cudahy, also canceled its Fourth of July events, directly citing concerns about immigration enforcement.
"Out of an abundance of caution regarding concerns for resident safety over federal immigration enforcement activities, the City of Bell Gardens will be canceling the scheduled events between June 24, 2025, and July 10, 2025, including the Movie Nights on June 26 and July 10 as well as the Independence Day Celebration," the city wrote.
Since the notice of cancellation, the city has repeatedly used its social media account to promote "immigration workshops."
One pinned post reads, "Know your rights! Regardless of your immigration status, you have guaranteed constitutional rights." The post instructs immigrants on how to respond to ICE agents arriving at their home, advising them not to open the door for officers unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.
"Remain silent and [do] not answer questions from immigration agents," it reads.
Huntington Park, a city northwest of Cudahy, similarly postponed its Independence Day celebrations, though it did not provide a reason.
"The Celebration of Independence scheduled for Thursday, July 3rd has been postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your understanding and support," the city wrote.
Boyle Heights, located east of the Los Angeles River, postponed its July 4 events, citing ICE activities, according to Alejandra Alarcon, a spokesperson for the office of city council member Ysabel Jurado.
Alarcon told the Boyle Heights Beat, "We're responding to the crisis with the presence of federal agents in the community."
The outlet reported that celebrations for Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, and Northeast Los Angeles will be postponed until sometime in August.
Jurado’s deputy for economic innovation and community growth, Lucia Aguilar, was arrested, along with her twin sister, for allegedly assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon during the anti-ICE riots in June. The twin sisters are the daughters of Rick Cole, a Democratic Pasadena City council member
As some California cities prioritize shielding illegal immigrants over celebrating Independence Day, critics argue these actions betray the core values of America.
Himes stated, "Legal immigrants love July 4 — just like people who've been here for generations. But too bad: What really matters is 'protecting' the people with no respect for our country's laws. Even my neighborhood of the Pacific Palisades (which burned to the ground on the watch of that same Democratic leadership) is having a big July 4 party — my condolences to all my fellow Californians being denied one."
Gloria Romero, a former Democratic majority leader in the California State Senate, told Fox News, "They're basically canceling America; they're canceling patriotism."
"We are basically led by a far-left, ultra-woke, [Trump derangement syndrome]-suffering fools," she said.
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DOJ slaps Karen Bass, LA City Council with 'long overdue' lawsuit: 'It ends under President Trump'
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated earlier this month while radicals were savagely attacking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in her city, "We will not stand for this."
The Democratic mayor was not condemning her fellow leftists' attacks on federal agents but rather the agents' enforcement of federal immigration law.
In the wake of the Los Angeles riots, Bass has kept up her anti-ICE, pro-illegal alien rhetoric, noting on Sunday, for instance, "Every community in L.A. is feeling the shock of these horrific ICE raids — this isn't just targeting one group, it's striking at the heart of our collective safety and trust."
The Trump administration gave Bass more than just ICE raids to complain about on Monday, filing a lawsuit against the mayor, Los Angeles City Council, and the City of Los Angeles over their alleged interference with the federal government's enforcement of immigration law.
"Sanctuary policies were the driving cause of the violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. "Jurisdictions like Los Angeles that flout federal law by prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens are undermining law enforcement at every level — it ends under President Trump."
The complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California notes that immediately after President Donald Trump's re-election, the Los Angeles City Council, "wishing to thwart the will of the American people regarding deportations, began the process of codifying into law its Sanctuary City policies."
RELATED: Democrats who locked down America during COVID now cry dictator over Trump's deportations
In late November, the L.A. City Council unanimously voted to establish L.A. as a "Sanctuary City."
The following month, Bass ratified the corresponding ordinance titled "Prohibition of the Use of City Resources for Federal Immigration Enforcement," which enshrined sanctuary policies into municipal law and barred "the use of City resources, including property and personnel, from being utilized for immigration enforcement or to cooperate with federal immigration agents engaged in immigration enforcement."
'Today’s lawsuit holds the City of Los Angeles accountable for deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration law.'
The ordinance — the "urgency clause," which makes clear that undermining the "incoming federal administration" was the goal — also prohibits city officials, including law enforcement officers, from directly or indirectly sharing data with federal immigration authorities.
The DOJ's lawsuit notes that L.A.'s sanctuary city laws are illegal and "are designed to and in fact do interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution."
Lawyers for the government asked the district court to recognize that the ordinance's violation of the Supremacy Clause and 8 U.S. Code § 1373 makes it unlawful, unenforceable, and void ab initio, as well as to enter a permanent injunction barring Los Angeles, its city council, and the mayor from enforcing the ordinance.
RELATED: JD Vance rejects Democrats' narrative, names the 'real threat to democracy'
"Today’s lawsuit holds the City of Los Angeles accountable for deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration law," said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California, who stressed in a tweet that the lawsuit was "long overdue."
'Very simply, we will liberate Los Angeles and make it free, clean, and safe again.'
"The United States Constitution's Supremacy Clause prohibits the City from picking and choosing which federal laws will be enforced and which will not," continued Essayli. "By assisting removable aliens in evading federal law enforcement, the City's unlawful and discriminatory ordinance has contributed to a lawless and unsafe environment that this lawsuit will help end."
The Los Angeles Times, which indicated Bass did not immediately respond to a request for comment, noted that radical L.A. city officials are contemplating striking back at the Trump administration with a lawsuit of its own.
The DOJ's lawsuit appears to be a major step toward another promise kept on Trump's part.
In his Tuesday speech at the 250th anniversary of the Army at Fort Bragg, Trump said, "Within the span of a few decades, Los Angeles has gone from being one of the cleanest, safest, and most beautiful cities on Earth to being a trash heap with entire neighborhoods under the control of transnational gangs and criminal networks."
"They don't like it when I say it, but I'll say it loudly and clearly: They'd better do something before it's too late," continued Trump. "Very simply, we will liberate Los Angeles and make it free, clean, and safe again."
"We will use every asset at our disposal to quell the violence and restore law and order right away," stressed the president.
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Democrats who locked down America during COVID now cry dictator over Trump's deportations
The same Democrats who crushed American freedoms with tyrannical COVID lockdowns are now latching on to the "dictator" narrative against President Donald Trump as they fight to shield illegal aliens, including those who committed additional crimes in the U.S., from the administration's immigration enforcement measures.
On June 14, No Kings held thousands of protests nationwide, highlighting the left's baseless portrayal of Trump as an authoritarian dictator with unchecked power. The demonstrations were primarily provoked by disapproval of the administration's deportation push.
'We need #ShutdownNYC now.'
Just weeks earlier, a riot broke out in Los Angeles over Trump's immigration crackdown, where protesters flooded the streets waving Mexican flags and some individuals even set vehicles ablaze.
Meanwhile, the left accused Trump of overstepping his authority by deploying National Guard troops to California to prevent further destruction and violence as Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom and Democrat Mayor Karen Bass sat on their hands.
Newsom claimed that Trump's deployment of troops was an "authoritarian use of military soldiers against citizens."
"Donald Trump is not a king and not above the law," the governor declared.
Amid the ongoing tension, more Democrats have leaned into the claims that Trump is acting like a king, vilifying the administration for delivering on the president's campaign promise to solve the nation's illegal immigration crisis.
Earlier this month, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) attempted to ambush Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's press conference after previously claiming the L.A. riots were "largely peaceful."
Federal agents briefly detained Padilla for trying to bypass officers to approach Noem during her speech. The senator claimed he "ended up in handcuffs" for asking a question.
"If this is how the Trump administration treats a U.S. Senator in broad daylight, imagine what they're doing to immigrants behind closed doors," Padilla wrote in a post on X. "We cannot stay silent. We will not back down."
Many Democratic politicians, including Newsom, ran to Padilla's defense, seizing the opportunity to accuse Trump of authoritarian actions.
Newsom stated, "This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now."
Padilla's disruptive stunt followed an incident involving Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) the previous month.
McIver was slapped with federal charges after she was accused of assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer at a Newark, New Jersey, detention facility where Democrats had demanded access.
The congresswoman called the indictment "political intimidation," claiming that she was at Delaney Hall "to do my job."
McIver also stood up for New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who was arrested for allegedly interfering with ICE operations when he locked arms with a man as federal agents approached them outside the courtroom.
McIver stated, "This administration will stop at nothing to intimidate those who dare to stand against their hateful agenda. This is a horrifying state of affairs for our country."
Lander accused Trump of using "authoritarian tactics."
Critics viewed Lander's move as a publicity stunt during his mayoral campaign. Lander conceded to Zohran Mamdani after he failed to convince more than roughly 11% of NYC Democrats to support him.
Flashback to the COVID era
Democratic leaders seem unified in their messaging against Trump, portraying him as a significant threat to freedom.
However, conservatives accused those same politicians of acting like kings just a few years ago, promoting oppressive lockdowns that harmed the economy and caused irreparable damage to mental health.
Newsom imposed some of the strictest lockdown measures in the nation, preventing Americans from gathering, forcing them to close their businesses, and using police to ticket and arrest citizens for trespassing on closed beaches. During the same period, he celebrated a birthday party at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Napa Valley.
During the COVID era, Padilla backed Newsom's leadership, applauding the governor's "statewide face mask mandate" as an "important and timely effort to reduce the spread."
"Let's commit to wearing masks, getting the vaccine, and staying home and social distancing as much as possible," he stated in January 2021.
Padilla repeatedly accused Republicans of spreading "COVID-19 disinformation" that he described as "nearly as dangerous as the disease itself." He claimed conservatives were "anti-mask, anti-science zealots" for criticizing Newsom's leadership.
While insisting Americans should mask up and stay home, he advocated for illegal immigrants to receive a "pathway to citizenship," claiming that "undocumented essential workers braved harsh conditions."
RELATED: The untold story of LA’s underground COVID-era speakeasies
Meanwhile, the lockdown situation in New York was similar to that in Los Angeles.
In March 2020, Lander encouraged then-Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and then-Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) to "close schools, non-essential businesses incl. restaurants & bars, [and] implement aggressive social distancing." He also advocated for closing places of worship.
Lander noted that social distancing would not work "until officially mandated."
"We need #ShutdownNYC now," Lander wrote.
During the COVID era, Democratic politicians enforced and supported strict lockdown measures, including business closures and vaccine mandates that trampled over American freedoms. Now, just a few years later, those same leaders are criticizing Trump's immigration enforcement as authoritarian as the left continues to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens.
BlazeTV host Steve Deace stated, "To be fair, these COVID tyrants are subject matter experts on what it means to be an authoritarian. Snark aside, it's impossible to be an authoritarian against invaders by the very definition of the term. We elected the Trump administration to exercise its authority to enact mass deportations, which are needed now more than ever."
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A gun in the hand is worth more than ‘never again’
Let’s face the truth. Being Jewish is a marvelous way of life, but it is also a very dangerous one. Jews need to wake up to the fact that there are imminent threats to their safety seemingly everywhere now in our country: in their homes, workplaces, synagogues, community centers, schools, and wherever else they happen to be.
FBI hate crime statistics against Jews are now at the highest they have been in decades. Just in the past several weeks, there have been two high-profile anti-Semitic attacks in America: the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum on May 21 and the Molotov cocktail attacks against Jews at a pro-Israel event in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1.
Jewish gun ownership isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Don’t wait. Do it now.
But the truth is, these incidents are not unusual. They are becoming all too common. Anti-Semites from both the radical left and radical right are out for Jewish blood. Their violent, unhinged anger is not going away any time soon.
It is also chilling how many Americans, especially in the younger generations, believe that violence is justified in the name of their political ideals. This is evidenced, for example, by the astonishingly high percentage of younger Americans who sympathize with Luigi Mangione in the murder of a health care executive.
Although Mangione’s case has nothing to do with Jews, it’s indicative of what people think are reasonable forms of activism. Increasingly, people believe that killing innocents is justified and normal.
The fact is, plenty of radicals blame “the Jews” for whatever they happen to be angry about that day — whether it’s the conflicts in the Middle East, America’s economic support for Ukraine, capitalism, globalism, woke ideology, high prices, or whatever else. Both sides have their reasons for wanting to see Jews dead.
Now that we recognize just how precarious Jewish lives have become, American Jews have two solutions going forward. The first is to rely on government to protect us. How is that working out, though? While many attacks are foiled by law enforcement, plenty still slip through the cracks. Unless we’re prepared to turn America into a full-on Orwellian surveillance state that watches everyone’s every move and strips basic freedoms from all, dangerous people will always slip through.
The second solution is more reasonable: Jews must become more self-reliant. That means becoming armed.
Unfortunately, American Jews are among the groups least likely to own guns. According to a survey from the American Jewish Committee, Jewish gun ownership is around 10%. Compare that to roughly 32% for the general population, according to Pew. And the AJC also found that 70% of Jews support strict gun control laws.
The irony is maddening. Jews face greater threats than most, yet they oppose the very means of self-defense they need most. This needs to change.
RELATED: Now more than ever, Jews must learn to shoot
Jewish Americans need to buy guns, seek firearms training, and carry legally. Synagogues and community centers should sponsor training workshops and allow lawful carry on premises. They should also build neighborhood watch teams and community security groups.
Most American Jews live in the three most virulently anti-gun states: New York, New Jersey, and California. They need to support state-level reforms to restore the God-given right to self-defense as America’s founders intended.
Two things stand in the way. The first is hoplophobia — irrational fear of guns. Many Jews treat firearms as inherently evil simply because bad people use them. They need to understand good people use them, too.
The second obstacle is uncertainty. For those unfamiliar with gun culture, it can be daunting. But help is easy to find. NRA-certified instructors are available across the country. The NRA website has a full directory. And several excellent Jewish gun-rights organizations already exist — including Cherev Gidon in the Catskills and Magen Am in Los Angeles.
Jewish gun ownership isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Don’t wait. Do it now. Your life, your family, and your community may depend on it.
Street riots can’t set US immigration policy
The New York Post last week chided President Trump for not “getting it right” on deportations. But its real target wasn’t Trump. It was Stephen Miller, the president’s longtime immigration adviser and current White House deputy chief of staff. The Post’s editorial board warned that Miller’s plan to apprehend 3,000 illegal aliens per day is “asking for trouble.”
The Post argued the number is unrealistic. Even if Immigration and Customs Enforcement focuses on “the worst of the worst,” the roundup will still trigger media-fueled hysteria and nationwide riots. Mass arrests, it claimed, carry the “highest risk public-opinion-wise.”
If we concede to street violence, we let the enemy set the terms. That’s not leadership. That’s surrender.
The Post envisioned a wave of anti-ICE demonstrations, media pearl-clutching, and chaos. It feared ICE would be stretched too thin trying to hit its daily targets. Worse still, agents might apprehend illegal immigrants who entered before Biden — or even before Obama — and have “put down some roots.” That, we’re told, would create “economic problems,” particularly for agriculture.
The solution? The Post recommended a “scalpel, not a hammer.” Encourage illegal immigrants to self-deport. Offer incentives. Go soft. Supposedly, a million have already left on their own. And if Trump continues gently urging them out, the paper claims, many more will go peacefully.
The problem? We don’t even know if that number is real. The Department of Homeland Security doesn’t systematically track self-deportations. It’s possible some of the exits happened during the Trump years or even before. Regardless, they’ve hardly made a dent in the 11 million people Homeland Security says are here illegally.
But more troubling than the questionable data is the message Trump would send if he adopted the Post’s approach: that he’s willing to pull back on deportations — not because it’s the right policy, but because it might provoke the left. It would mean ICE can’t arrest even violent felons if it risks upsetting the street mobs funded by Democrats. And because the left treats all illegal immigrants as future voters, that would effectively shut down enforcement altogether.
As a historian, I’ll offer a provocative but fitting comparison: Today’s leftist thugs resemble the Nazi brownshirts of the Weimar era. Back then, many thought the nationalists could harness the street violence for political gain. They were wrong. The brownshirts brought chaos, not order. I see nothing morally or politically superior about the rioters in Los Angeles. They may call themselves anti-fascists. But their behavior — and their impact — is the same.
Those who excuse or encourage this violence, or who blame the government for trying to remove violent criminals, don’t care about law and order. They don’t care about stopping murderers, rapists, or cartel operatives. They care about power.
If some illegal immigrants have lived here for years and become productive members of society, the government can evaluate those cases once the criminals are gone. Prioritizing felons doesn’t mean abandoning discretion. But it does mean enforcing the law — despite the noise.
Trump’s crackdown will also encourage more self-deportation. If illegal immigrants know there’s a new sheriff in town, they’ll think twice about staying. As for the rioters and their wealthy enablers? Perhaps, we could find a way to help them self-deport to Antarctica. At a minimum, they deserve the same accommodations the left gave to January 6 protesters.
Even if Miller’s 3,000-a-day goal can’t be fully met, the effort matters. Laura Ingraham is right: We won’t deport all of the Democrats’ future voters. But that’s no reason not to try. The street violence and intimidation are designed to cow Republicans into submission. They’re a threat — not just to policy but to republican government itself.
If we concede to street violence, we let the enemy set the terms. That’s not leadership. That’s surrender.
No more accommodation. Crush the coup.
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