During a press appearance on Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass held the Trump administration responsible for stirring tensions in the city through its immigration enforcement actions.
While speaking on CNN, Ms. Bass made efforts to calm public concern by explaining that the situation was not a large-scale uprising. “This is not citywide civil unrest,” she clarified. “It’s just a few blocks downtown, but it gives a very bad impression.”
She pointed out that life across most parts of Los Angeles remained unaffected, as the disturbances were limited to an area near a federal building and a detention center.
Protests Remain Limited to Specific Areas
She assured residents that those who damaged vehicles or attacked police would be held accountable. According to her, law enforcement officers were currently reviewing video recordings to identify suspects involved in any criminal actions during the protests.
Bass explained that the protests were sparked by federal immigration officers arriving in full tactical gear to workplaces within the city to arrest immigrants, a move she believed was directly responsible for the anger on the streets.
Questioning the Targets of Immigration Raids
Her reaction included strong questions directed at federal intentions. “Why were there raids?” she asked. She recalled that previous statements from the Trump administration had claimed they were only going after violent criminals. But in this case, the location wasn’t linked to criminal activity; it was simply a Home Depot.
The mayor was referring to one of several immigration enforcement operations that took place on Friday. That raid happened in Paramount, a city not far from Los Angeles, where many day laborers gather near the store in search of jobs. This action triggered days of protest that followed.
Criticism of Federal Military Response
She argued that the federal government’s moves appeared planned to bring about disorder in the city. On top of that, the decision to deploy National Guard troops added more pressure to a city already dealing with unrest.
Bass challenged the president’s decision to override the state’s authority and take control of the California National Guard.
She described what happened the previous night, a protest that became rowdy with about 100 people and led to 27 arrests, but said it did not justify federal intervention. She insisted that the situation had not reached a level that required such a large and aggressive response.
