LA Mayor Karen Bass Shows Up During Massive ICE Raid And Tries To Stop It

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stormed into MacArthur Park and ordered federal agents to leave an immigration sweep. The tense stand-off ended quickly, but it exposed deep rifts over how the city handles crime-plagued areas and immigration enforcement.

Key Facts:

On Monday, Mayor Karen Bass demanded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents “leave right now” during a raid at MacArthur Park.
Bass said she had just spoken with “the head of customs” before confronting the agents.
Roughly 90 California National Guard troops and multiple federal agents—some on horseback and in armored vehicles—took part in the one-hour operation, according to the Los Angeles Times.
MacArthur Park has faced years of drug use, violent crime, and homeless encampments, yet remains near several immigrant communities.
Similar protests flared in June after ICE raids across Los Angeles County, prompting National Guard deployments ordered by President Donald Trump.

The Rest of The Story:

Federal agents rolled into crime-ridden MacArthur Park Monday morning, moving quickly to detain undocumented suspects.

Eyewitness video shows Mayor Bass confronting the scene and telling reporters, “They need to leave because this is unacceptable.”

Bass claimed to be acting after a call with top customs officials, though neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security confirmed speaking with her.

Federal officers stayed on-site for about an hour while protesters shouted profanities and demanded their departure.

The park—once a family gathering place—has been overrun by open-air drug markets and violent assaults in recent years.

Officials said armored vehicles and mounted agents were needed to control any unrest and protect officers.

Deploying National Guard troops to assist immigration raids is not new for Los Angeles.

After two days of rioting last month, the Guard backed federal agents county-wide.

Democratic leaders around the country have staged high-profile protests at ICE facilities.

In May, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and several New Jersey lawmakers were denied entry to a detention center.

A month later, Rep. Maxine Waters was turned away from the Los Angeles Federal Building while trying to visit a union leader caught in ICE sweeps.

🚨 BREAKING: LA Mayor Karen Bass is PERSONALLY on scene attempting to OBSTRUCT immigration enforcement in the city

“They need to leave, and they need to leave NOW,” Bass said

NO! HOLD THE LINE @Sec_Noem! And ARREST BASS if she doesn’t back off! pic.twitter.com/s6YErHYhZ2

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 7, 2025

Commentary:

MacArthur Park is a wasteland of tents, needles, and street crime—and children do not dare play there.

Instead of cleaning it up, Mayor Bass barged in to stop ICE from doing its job.

No parent in that neighborhood asked for more chaos.

Bass called federal officers “unacceptable” for enforcing immigration law but has shown little urgency when gangs and drug dealers own the turf.

That posture sends a loud message: politics first, public safety last.

Let’s be clear: interfering with a federal operation can undermine every officer on the ground.

If an elected official wants to change policy, the right avenue is Congress, not a park-side temper tantrum.

Bass brands herself as an advocate for the vulnerable, yet the real victims are law-abiding immigrants who must walk through crime zones every day.

By shielding wrongdoers from arrest, she leaves honest residents to suffer.

A mayor who uses her office to obstruct lawful arrests deserves more than a headline—she deserves handcuffs.

Ignoring ICE in a sanctuary city is one thing; actively ordering agents to leave is another.

That crosses the line from policy dispute to potential criminal obstruction.

The episode at MacArthur Park reveals priorities: protect political image, excuse lawlessness, and hope voters forget.

Meanwhile, the park’s decay worsens and taxpayers foot the bill for endless clean-ups.

Los Angeles cannot afford leaders who treat law enforcement like the enemy while criminals roam free.

Monday’s stunt showed Karen Bass is willing to grandstand even if it risks public safety.

The Bottom Line:

Mayor Bass’s face-off with ICE was a brief spectacle, but it spotlighted Los Angeles’s struggle between enforcing federal law and indulging political theatrics.

Until City Hall chooses safety over showmanship, MacArthur Park will stay a danger zone—and residents will pay the price.

The mayor’s actions were not just irresponsible—they were dangerous.

Federal authorities were doing their job, and Bass tried to shut it down.