L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Responds to VP JD Vance's Remarks on Immigration and City Safety

Mayor Bass's Rebuttal to VP Vance

• 😠 Mayor Karen Bass strongly condemned remarks made by Vice President JD Vance, calling them "lies and nonsense" intended to "provoke division and conflict" in Los Angeles.
• 💔 Bass highlighted the trauma experienced by families due to immigration enforcement actions, citing mothers whose husbands did not return home and children spending Father's Day without them.

Accusations of Encouraging Violence

• 🗣️ Bass directly refuted Vance's accusation that city leaders, including herself, encouraged violence or "sickening mobs" against ICE officers.
• ❓ She questioned the identity of armed individuals in unmarked cars with tinted windows and out-of-state plates, suggesting they appeared to be "bounty hunters" or "vigilantes" rather than federal officials.
• 🚨 Bass emphasized that local law enforcement, including the LAPD and Sheriff's Department, managed crowd control effectively and maintained peace, even during instances of vandalism.

Misrepresentation of Los Angeles

• 🌍 Mayor Bass asserted that Vance failed to understand Los Angeles as a "city of immigrants" and misrepresented the extent of disruptions, which were confined to a small area.
• 💰 She argued that Vance's actions and rhetoric were a "stunt" and an "experiment" to justify wasted taxpayer dollars, potentially harming the city's economy which relies on immigrant labor.

Disrespect Towards Senator Padilla

• 😤 Bass criticized Vance for disrespecting Senator Alex Padilla by mispronouncing his name as "Jose," highlighting that Vance serves with Padilla in the U.S. Senate and should know his name.
• ✈️ She accused Vance of parachuting into the city, passing judgment without understanding, and adding to provocation and division.

Impact on Businesses and Residents

• 📉 Anthony Gallo, co-owner of a Boyle Heights restaurant, shared how fear stemming from immigration raids impacted his business, with significantly fewer customers on Father's Day and concerns about employee livelihoods.
• 😟 Bass stated that the administration's rhetoric about "gang members" and "drug dealers" is misapplied to day laborers, people at bus stops, and those in parks, creating terror and impacting innocent residents.