Los Angeles, CA - July 08:Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joins a press conference to announce joining a lawsuit against the federal government in response to immigration sweeps at Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
Los Angeles, California – Mayor Karen Bass is pledging to do “whatever it takes” to shield Los Angeles residents from aggressive federal immigration enforcement, even as she acknowledges the city’s sanctuary status could be overturned by the courts. In a recent interview, Bass struck a defiant yet measured tone, walking a fine line between public outrage and the legal realities of federal power.
“Everything that’s been happening in the city has been by rumor,” Bass said, expressing frustration that her office receives no advanced notice from the federal government before immigration raids occur. Her comments came just days after a controversial federal operation in MacArthur Park drew national attention — not for arrests or public safety breakthroughs, but for its spectacle.
Bass called the raid “a performance,” suggesting it was staged for political impact and possibly filmed for federal propaganda. “I don’t think it was ever meant to be serious. Who were they going to arrest? The people suffering from drug addiction?” she asked, highlighting the absence of any arrests or detentions during the operation, despite the presence of a military vehicle that damaged city streets.
City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson confirmed no one was taken into custody during the MacArthur Park operation. Bass said she spoke with U.S. Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino, who justified the presence of federal agents as an effort “to address crime.” But Bass insists the city had already been working to tackle issues in the area, noting cooperation between the LAPD and city council had led to a significant drop in violent crime.
Yet Bass also struck a cautionary note. When asked whether she could guarantee Los Angeles would remain a sanctuary city, she did not equivocate: “There is a scenario in which the courts overturn our policy, and I hope that doesn’t happen.” Still, she emphasized her commitment to protecting undocumented Angelenos, stating, “I’m certainly going to hope for the best, and I’m going to fight for the best.”
Bass also addressed criticism over her handling of the January wildfires that tore through Altadena and the Pacific Palisades. Some have questioned her administration’s preparedness, but Bass pushed back, saying, “Nobody was prepared” for the rapid spread caused by Santa Ana winds. “The alert was not elevated to the point of a critical situation,” she said, explaining why the city and county did not enter emergency response mode sooner.
Looking ahead to her 2026 reelection bid, Bass remains confident. “I plan to win. Obviously, I’m going to work very hard.” Whether she can maintain that momentum — and the city’s sanctuary status — may ultimately depend on forces beyond her control.
