After approximately 1,000 demonstrators surrounded the ICE Detention Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, made it clear that her sympathies lay with the rioters. Her office issued a statement that read:
This morning, we received reports of federal immigration enforcement actions in multiple locations in Los Angeles. As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place. These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. My Office is in close coordination with immigrant rights community organizations. We will not stand for this.
She followed up with a post on social media saying, “Los Angeles will always be a proud city of immigrants, and we will defend immigrant communities.”
In the accompanying video, Bass told a reporter, “We are going to fight for all Angelenos, regardless of when they got here, whether they have papers or not.”
As the anti-ICE riots descended into chaos Saturday night, President Donald Trump invoked emergency powers to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to the area.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had failed to act for the second straight day, condemned the decision on X and said Trump was more interested in theatrics than de-escalation. He ended with an absurd remark in light of the situation: “Never use violence. Speak out peacefully.”
What a stupid remark.
What began as outrage over ICE raids spiraled into two days of chaos, with protesters torching vehicles, attacking officers with rocks, and firing explosives at a federal building by Saturday night.
So, how do you stop a riot when the people meant to maintain order are standing with the rioters? What happens when the city’s mayor and the state’s governor abdicate their responsibilities for public safety and defy the laws they once swore to uphold?
Well, there should be consequences. And, on Saturday evening, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a stark warning: “It doesn’t matter if you’re a judge, a member of Congress, or a protestor in Los Angeles: If you obstruct or assault a law enforcement officer, this Department of Justice will prosecute you.”
Bondi’s post served as a pointed reminder: Just as the government had arrested Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan in April for allegedly helping an illegal immigrant in her courtroom evade law enforcement and charged Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) with assault in May after she defied agents at a New Jersey ICE detention facility, authorities will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who “obstructs or assaults” a federal officer.
While neither Bass nor Newsom physically assaulted officers nor directly obstructed ICE operations, they nonetheless defied the rule of law. Their actions ran counter to their sworn oaths to uphold the Constitution and to “faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office to the best of [their] abilities.”
For his part, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries recently vowed to dox every last ICE AGENT.
The L.A. riots are a direct result of the Biden administration’s reckless decision to stop enforcing U.S. immigration laws, effectively opening up our southern border. Since then, Democrats have consistently aided and abetted illegal immigration, seizing every opportunity to undermine and discredit ICE and Border Patrol agents.
One notable example occurred during former President Joe Biden’s first year in office, when his administration accused Border Patrol agents on horseback of “whipping” Haitian migrants as they crossed into Del Rio, Texas. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters at the time that she was “deeply troubled” by the incident.
Public outrage followed—until a formal investigation by Customs and Border Protection concluded there was no evidence of wrongdoing by the agents involved.
Given that illegal immigration is an 80–20 issue with voters, that his state’s leniency toward undocumented immigrants has contributed to a significant budget deficit, and that he’s widely expected to run for president in 2028, one might expect Newsom to at least pretend to be concerned about the ongoing influx of illegals.
But neither Newsom nor Bass has lifted a finger to confront the fallout from their open-border agenda. Rather than backing law enforcement or protecting their constituents, they’ve chosen to embolden lawbreakers and demonize the very agents tasked with securing our country. Their silence in the face of violence isn’t just cowardice—it’s complicity. They didn’t just abandon their oath to uphold the Constitution; they helped set the fire now raging in the streets of Los Angeles.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn or X.
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