Los Angeles just became the latest battleground in the ongoing clash over immigration enforcement, with Mayor Karen Bass stepping into the fray against federal agents.
Fox News reported that on Monday, federal agents backed by the National Guard rolled into the Westlake neighborhood near MacArthur Park, an area with a significant immigrant community and known MS-13 influence, sparking outrage from leftists.
The operation was anything but subtle, with U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback sporting "Police U.S. Border Patrol" and "HSI" uniforms, while military-style vehicles lined the streets.
Mayor Bass flew into a rage and ended up demanding to speak with ICE leadership to halt the raid, but was quickly smacked down as she had no authority.
Bass shrieked, "They need to leave, and they need to leave right now." Adding fuel to the fire, Bass took to social media, lamenting how children at a summer day camp were shuffled inside to avoid exposure to what she called "troops walking in formation."
This blatant hyperbole is embarrassing coming from the mayor of one of America's largest cities. Bass has repeatedly demonstrated over the past year that she is a disgrace as a public figure.
Interestingly, despite the heavy presence, Fox Los Angeles reported no arrests were made during this particular sweep.
That didn’t stop tensions from boiling over, as protesters soon arrived, with reports of a slashed tire on a federal vehicle and objects hurled at law enforcement.
Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, unfazed by the criticism, told Fox News, "I don’t work for Karen Bass." His defiance signals a troubling disconnect between local and federal priorities, hinting at more clashes on the horizon.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom also jumped into the debate during a press conference, coinciding with the six-month mark of devastating Los Angeles wildfires, promising to "protect our diverse communities."
While his commitment to standing against what he calls federal "cruelty" resonates with many, it’s hard not to see this as another chapter in the state’s endless tug-of-war with Washington over immigration policy.
This isn’t the first time Los Angeles has seen unrest over such raids—back in June, protests erupted into riots, clashing with authorities for days over similar enforcement actions.
In response to that earlier chaos, President Donald Trump federalized the National Guard and deployed Marines to the city, a move that drew sharp rebukes from local and state officials.
Community leaders have since reported federal agents showing up everywhere from elementary school graduations to courthouses, disrupting legal immigration processes and conducting what many call arbitrary workplace raids at places like Home Depot.
These actions have sparked large-scale demonstrations across Los Angeles County, reflecting a deep frustration with what’s perceived as invasive overreach.
However, one might argue that enforcing immigration laws, however imperfectly, is a necessary step to address unchecked border policies that have long been ignored by progressive leadership.