Tensions erupted in Los Angeles after federal agents carried out a surprise immigration raid near a major event attended by Governor Gavin Newsom. The operation, conducted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), took place just outside the governor’s press conference on redistricting, sparking outrage from local officials.
Mayor Karen Bass was furious over the timing and location of the raid, describing it as a calculated move meant to embarrass the state’s leadership. “They deliberately came to thumb their nose at the governor!” she said angrily while addressing reporters. “There’s no way this was a coincidence. It was widely known that the governor and several other elected officials were holding a press conference here to discuss redistricting, and yet they chose to stage this in front of him.”
The incident caused confusion at the scene as agents detained multiple individuals while media and attendees scrambled for safety. Local police quickly secured the area, but the presence of armed federal officers just yards from a state event intensified political friction between California officials and federal authorities.
Bass accused CBP of staging the operation to make a political statement. “Why would anyone do that? It’s unbelievably disrespectful. It’s a deliberately provocative act,” she said. “They claim to be concerned about disorder in Los Angeles, yet right now, they are the source of it. This is completely unacceptable. This is a Customs and Border Protection agency that has gone off the rails. This absolutely must stop.”
She added that there was “no threat, no need to detain anyone, and certainly no justification for staging such a provocative act right where the governor was speaking.”
The confrontation highlights the ongoing power struggle between state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement in California. Los Angeles has long maintained its stance as a sanctuary city, restricting cooperation with ICE and prioritizing community trust over federal deportation efforts.
While federal officials have not publicly commented on the timing of the raid, political observers note that such clashes are likely to deepen tensions between Washington and California, where leaders have repeatedly accused federal agencies of using immigration enforcement for political theater.
The fallout from the raid continues to dominate headlines, as state officials demand answers about why the operation was carried out during a live public event. For Mayor Bass, the message remains clear — Los Angeles will not tolerate actions she views as reckless or politically motivated on its streets.