LA Mayor Bass Condemns VP Vance’s Claims Amid ICE Protests

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass strongly condemned Vice President JD Vance's recent remarks about the city, labeling them as "utter nonsense" and "outright lies" intended to provoke division and conflict. Vance criticized Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom for allegedly encouraging illegal migration and inciting violent protests, claiming these actions strained public services and law enforcement. Bass refuted these accusations, emphasizing that local authorities, not federal forces, managed crowd control and maintained peace during the unrest, which she described as largely peaceful aside from a small group causing vandalism. The mayor also took issue with Vance's disrespectful reference to Senator Alex Padilla as "Jose Padilla," highlighting the insult to a respected local official. Bass attributed the protests and unrest to the timing of intensified ICE operations rather than city policies and noted that a curfew she enacted was effective in reducing crime before its recent lift. The exchange underscores a deep political rift over immigration enforcement and public safety strategies in Los Angeles under the current Trump administration.