The mask slipped Monday night in Los Angeles, and Mayor Karen Bass was the one holding it.
As anti-ICE riots rage into their fourth day—complete with violent assaults on federal agents, burning vehicles, and the shutdown of major highways—Democratic officials have spent more time bashing President Trump than addressing the chaos consuming their own backyard.
But Bass, in her Monday press conference, revealed exactly where the priorities lie for the progressive leadership in California: not with law enforcement, and certainly not with law and order.
BREAKING: Mayor Karen Bass just demanded ICE stop their operations.
She’s cooked. pic.twitter.com/HdgwNqSCTy
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) June 10, 2025
Her demand? “Stop the raids. Stop the raids, period,” she said, clearly referencing federal ICE enforcement that began last week in sanctuary cities, including Los Angeles. “Give the power back to our governor,” she added, as if the federal enforcement of immigration law were some kind of unjust imposition rather than, well, the law.
This wasn’t a slip of the tongue—it was a calculated position. Earlier in the day, she doubled down, saying, “If immigration raids had not happened here, we would not have the disorder.” In other words, the enforcement of federal immigration law is to blame for the riots—not the rioters.
Let’s be clear about what that logic means. According to Bass, law enforcement provokes lawlessness. By that logic, enforcing any law that agitates a group of protestors could be considered dangerous or inflammatory. That’s not leadership—it’s surrender.
NEW — LA Mayor Karen Bass DOUBLES DOWN on calling riots “peaceful” & blaming ICE raids for violence.
“If immigration raids had not happened here, we would not have the disorder…”
“It is peaceful now, but we do not know where and when the next raids will be!” pic.twitter.com/P7yACKpkud
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 9, 2025
The position is outrageous on its face. The riots didn’t break out because ICE was acting recklessly—they broke out because agitators, aided by masked instigators and emboldened by a soft-on-crime culture, saw an opportunity to cause chaos. If enforcing the law leads to disorder, the answer isn’t to stop enforcing the law. The answer is to restore order.
And that’s exactly what President Trump is doing. He’s already deployed the National Guard. Now, U.S. Marines are preparing to reinforce the ground effort. As U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed, the raids will not stop. The federal government is not backing down, and it’s clear why: the law is on their side, and public safety is at stake.
