Mayor Karen Bass held a press conference today alongside labor, business, and community leaders to address recent federal immigration enforcement actions in the city and the filing of a federal lawsuit against Los Angeles.
According to Mayor Bass, federal immigration raids began on June 6, shortly after what she described as a period of calm in the city. She stated that hundreds of individuals were arrested in the days that followed and raised concerns over the nature and reasoning behind some of the arrests. The Mayor also noted that federal agents had been observed conducting operations in public areas and that military personnel had been stationed in parts of the city.
Mayor Bass expressed concern about the impact of the federal presence on city residents, citing disruption to daily life, fear among immigrant communities, and economic consequences for local businesses.
She also referenced a congressional investigation involving the U.S. Department of Transportation and a recently filed lawsuit, which she characterized as challenging Los Angeles’ long-standing policies designed to protect immigrant communities.
The Mayor reiterated the city’s commitment to defending its policies and ordinances, emphasizing that they were originally enacted to promote public safety by encouraging immigrant residents to report crimes without fear. She stated that the city will continue to uphold these principles in accordance with the Constitution and existing local laws.
“We know that Los Angeles is being viewed as a test case,” Bass said. “But we will continue to stand together as a city committed to diversity, safety, and constitutional protections for all residents.”
