Los Angeles Mayor Bass, over 30 mayors call for end to federal immigration enforcement raids

Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and over 30 other mayors of nearby cities on Wednesday called for an end to federal immigration enforcement raids amid protests.

Protests in Los Angeles turned violent over the weekend after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted raids last week, resulting in detentions and deportations of illegal immigrants. The violent protests led to President Trump sending the National Guard and Marines to the city over California Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) objection.

Newsom has sued Trump over his federalization of the National Guard. A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed Newsom's bid to immediately limit the law enforcement activities of the National Guardsmen in Los Angeles to the immediate areas around federal buildings.

"A week ago, everything was peaceful in the city of Los Angeles, and in all of the representatives behind me, in their cities, as well," Bass said during a press conference. "Things began to be difficult on Friday, when raids took place, and it's important that I begin there, because that is the cause of the problems that have happened in the city of Los Angeles and other cities."

She said that the White House was the provocateur, suggesting that the reason is "maybe we are part of a national experiment to determine how far the federal government can go in reaching in and taking over power from a governor, power from a local jurisdiction, and frankly, leaving our city and our citizens, our residents, in fear."

She said that they initially heard that "the administration wanted to go after violent felons, gang members, drug dealers. But when you raid Home Depot and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you run armored caravans through our streets, you're not trying to keep anyone safe – you're trying to cause fear and panic."