Operation Excalibur: A Shift Towards Authoritarianism?

On the 7th of July, 2025, a defining moment in law enforcement took place at MacArthur Park, Los Angeles. In a scene reminiscent of a military operation, an assembly of 90 National Guard soldiers and a legion of federal agents descended upon the park. This notable surge of troops was a part of ‘Operation Excalibur’, a meticulous affair showcasing the enlargement of federal force within residential areas. The government thereby employed dramatic force to instill trepidation within immigrant and labor-intensive communities under the disguise of ‘security’ and ‘law enforcement’ mandates.

Leaked documents revealed anticipation of collateral damage due to the highly populated nature of the area. Video evidence portrayed the agents, supported by the police, barricading streets around the park. The show of force included masked agents marching through streets, resulting in women, children, and caretakers fleeing in terror. The California National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry Regiment, marked their presence on foot, riding horses, and via military vehicles demonstrating their prepared meticulousness.

No less than 11 government and state agencies were involved in the operation. These included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Customs and Border Protection (CBP); Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with focus on Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); multiple departments of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the U.S. Marshals Service; the IRS; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD); and the LAPD. The amplitude of the operation was converged in Los Angeles, marking a pivotal development in a nationwide action.

The political landscape of the United States is heading towards an unprecedented shift, with the forming of a presidential dictatorship. The deployment of federal security forces and enforcing policies through intimidation and fear tactics display a step towards authoritarianism. MacArthur Park, a symbol of immigrant life compared often to a West Coast Ellis Island, was no accidental venue for this operation. Home to thousands who escaped the devastation of Central American wars, its history with mass migration made it a suitable location for the federal government’s show of force.

The mission of the 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry Regiment, as per the leaked documents, was to ‘provide static interagency site protection, mounted mobile security, and Joint Force Land Component Command (JFLCC) Reserve support to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and supporting federal agencies.’ Instead of addressing a specific law or threat, the mission emphasized the federal law enforcement’s dominance and versatility within the Los Angeles Joint Operations Area (JOA). It was a chilling warning as well as a dress rehearsal.

With this operation, the federal government is subtly undermining the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prevents the utilization of the military in domestic enforcement without proper approval. Designed to uphold civilian dominance, this Act is being gradually weakened as protests in Los Angeles and other cities are referred to as an ‘insurrection’. This sets the ideological groundwork for military intervention should an official declaration of insurrection be deemed appropriate.

Despite certain media outlets presenting this operation as a ‘failed raid’, everything portrayed a military-style operation coordinated across multiple agencies. Troops lined the park in 5-ton trucks. Communication protocols and phase lines were laid out, and a high-level threat was declared. The documentation marked the area as MS-13 gang territory, portraying them as a homegrown menace of the park.

This criminal gang’s existence is a consequential formation from the wave of gang violence faced by newly arrived Salvadoran immigrants during the 1980s, especially around neighborhoods such as MacArthur Park. These immigrants were evacuees from a civil war amplified by over $1 billion in US support, in terms of both military aid and political endorsement to a brutal military dictatorship. Hence, the emergence of the MS-13 gang is the long shadow of US foreign policy.

While Operation Excalibur was abruptly cut short – with one Guardsman acknowledging their time on-site being a mere 24 minutes – it served as a template for a full-fledged military operation on domestic ground. The initial plan metamorphosed into a military movement within urban regions, indicating a shift in America’s stance. Urban warfare protocols followed in international hotspots such as Kabul, Baghdad or Gaza, are subtly being prepared for deployment within American cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.

Importantly, local authorities were notified just two hours before the military’s arrival. Soldiers involved in the operation voiced discontent, denoting the operation as ‘foolish’, ‘dishonorable’, and ‘driven by political motives’. The idea of a persistent ‘forward operating base’ in the park, suggested by military leadership, was vehemently opposed as well. Their dissent reveals the chinks in the state’s suppression machinery, hinting at decaying control.

The role of the Democratic party in this situation is ambiguous. They seemingly defend immigrant rights, yet drive policies that criminalize immigrants and devalue essential services. The recent California budget decrease took billions away from Medi-Cal, depriving undocumented adults of medical assistance. The ‘sanctuary’ laws of the state have enough loopholes to offer indirect cooperation with ICE.

Prior to the operation, the President signed a budget that channeled billions into immigration enforcement and detention. Subsequently, more than 1600 immigrant arrests occurred in Los Angeles alone, between June 6 and June 22. These actions contribute to a national intimidation strategy targeting immigrant workers. However, resistance has started surfacing.

On operation day, locals, tipped off in advance, distributed flyers warning immigrant workers. Protesters shadowed the troop movements, proudly waving Mexican and Salvadoran flags as symbols of defiance. Their presence represented not just opposition to ICE but showed resistance to the military regime gradually forming.

The long-term defense of immigrant workers can’t solely depend on the political establishment. Respect and justice for the working class are imperative, and their struggle ought to be led by them. The broad assault on democratic rights, wages, and working conditions is seen as the testing ground against immigrants. The global capitalist movement seeks to shift the burden of a flailing system onto the working class, from Los Angeles to Paris, Santiago to Johannesburg, the adversary remains the same. The response rests on the organization and awareness of the working class, coupled with the necessary leadership to resist.