In Los Angeles, ICE is conducting massive raids on illegal immigrant nexus nodes, the latest of which is MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.

Fox News reporter Bill Melugin says the raids are big indeed:

BREAKING: We are with hundreds of federal agents and military as a massive federal immigration enforcement operation is underway in the MacArthur Park area of the sanctuary city of Los Angeles, an area with heavy MS-13 influence. Mayor Bass has demanded raids stop, Feds respond… pic.twitter.com/g4osPOL6mr

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 7, 2025

BREAKING: Federal agents are conducting apparent immigration raids near MacArthur Park, with National Guard members protecting those agents.https://t.co/Yxr2C3bvUf

— KTLA (@KTLA) July 7, 2025

Far-left Mayor Karen Bass is outraged:

This is footage from today in MacArthur Park.

Minutes before, there were more than 20 kids playing — then, the MILITARY comes through.

The SECOND I heard about this, I went to the park to speak to the person in charge to tell them it needed to end NOW.

Absolutely outrageous. pic.twitter.com/sxGzjGlYlr

— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) July 7, 2025

I suppose I should comment on the strange specter of a mayor of a large city upset to see criminals cleared out of an area famous for its criminals, a no-go zone of MS-13 and Mexican cartel criminals, pretty much occupying the front yard of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles.

I've been to these places, I know what the parking is like, I know what the traffic is like, and like most Angelenos, know very well that the place is a gang hellhole of shootings, robbings and vandalism.

From the LA Times in March:

"The vendors [at MacArthur Park] are a staple among immigrant communities, selling goods in and around the park. But officials say some of them sell stolen property, drugs and even guns."

— BDW (@BryanDeanWright) July 7, 2025

Obviously, the ICE operation is big because there are a lot of fish to catch. There probably isn't anyone legally present in that part of Los Angeles at all, actually.

The mayor is angry because it's affecting her political base, and possibly her campaign coffers, but most certainly because it's affecting the size of her city. There''s no doubt it's having an impact.

But these are the effects of these raids that may be the most telling:

Not fake news. Zero traffic in Los Angeles tonight. pic.twitter.com/APN9TjBaQe

— Please Enjoy (@mvalio1) July 7, 2025

I've never seen anything like this. Not during COVID. Not even during Christmas. pic.twitter.com/dFZMnQvGiv

— Dick Masterson (@dickmasterson) July 7, 2025

Mighty dead on the 101 hear in Hollywood on a Saturday night pic.twitter.com/lrFlscsvW0

— Hear in LA (@hearinladotcom) July 6, 2025

Traffic is abnormally clear in the area, presumably because there are fewer illegals, and the city is now the size of the roads and traffic it was built and designed for. 

I have no idea if this is really what is going on, but it seems to be some kind of potential indicator. 

There also was this: 

Anecdotally it was a much quieter fourth—fewer sirens, a lot fewer backyard fireworks. It’s working. Thank you @ICEgov https://t.co/oHGHd2lkJa

— Peachy Keenan (@KeenanPeachy) July 6, 2025

There was also this, from Reddit:

Normally, the weeks leading up to Fourth of July in my Highland Park neighborhood have been hit by nightly barrages of prohibited fireworks being launched through the evening and into the wee hours. It was really bad in 2020 when it seemed everyone spent their stemmi checks on fireworks and were determined to set the city on fire

But not this year. Sure there are the occasional mortars and rockets going off over the Avenues, but nothing like previous years. This year it seems quieter. Why?

Polls are not allowed on this sub but here are some ideas as to reasons why:

Gentrification has displaced fireworks in my neighborhood.

Tariffs impacted Chinese firework imports.

Reduced spending for recession preparation.

Fireworks are being stockpiled to battle I.C.E.

All of the above.

Again, very, very anecdotal, though a friend in L.A. did report that they were down.

Not that there were zero:

At least the illegal fireworks took care of some of the wildly combustible unmanaged palm trees in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/iqxjt40Wti

— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) July 5, 2025

But in 2018, the illegal firework situation looked like this:

Five years ago, Los Angeles banned fireworks and closed the beaches.

This is how that went: pic.twitter.com/yO7hwOrjSy

— Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) July 2, 2025

In 2020, like this:

Los Angeles right now where fireworks are illegal. I’ve never seen it lit up like this on the 4th. ???????? pic.twitter.com/44XZ1VsWNm

— sNOway suz ☀️????⛱ (@TheWaveDealer1) July 5, 2020

In 2021 like this:

LAPD tried to detonate 5,000 lbs of illegal fireworks seized in LA and set the block on fire. It's literally this scene pic.twitter.com/We0oSNKP1t

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 1, 2021

HOLY COW! Is anyone in Los Angeles seeing how many people are shooting off fireworks??? Hundreds are being launched in all directions. Looking at this video, you’d never know these types of fireworks are completely ILLEGAL in LA County... ????#HappyFourthOfJuly #FourthofJuly2020 pic.twitter.com/wN7zmRiQI9

— Steve Kuzj (@SteveKuzj) July 5, 2020

And 2021, in East L.A., home of the illegal alien trade:

Best damn illegal fireworks show in East LA. #July4th #usa #America #Happy4thofJuly #losangeles #eastla pic.twitter.com/9g5Jifn4Hh

— Knockabout Artist (@KnockaboutPics) July 5, 2021

Now it's down. Sure, the cops claim credit in dissuading people from using them.

But more likely, it raises the question of whether the takeout of illegals led to this effect. Illegals gone? You can draw your own conclusions.

My friend in East L.A. noted these pinatas in a market as a hot seller instead, $34.99 plus tax:

It kind of gives you the flavor.

Image: Monica Showalter, by permission