Karen Bass Compares ICE Raids to COVID Lockdowns in Los Angeles [WATCH]

Mayor Karen Bass likened the ongoing enforcement operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles to the COVID-19 lockdowns imposed across California during the pandemic, saying both have kept people indoors and caused visible economic impact on the city’s streets.

Bass made the comments over the weekend during visits to several small businesses and housing complexes in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, a historically immigrant-dense area of Los Angeles.

She was joined by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles) for the tour, which included stops at local establishments such as Casa Fina, Distrito Catorce, Yeya’s, and Birrieria De Don Boni, as well as the Estrada Courts public housing complex.

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According to the Los Angeles Times, Bass and Gonzalez noted that many residents appeared reluctant to leave their homes, even during a Father’s Day celebration held in the area.

“It’s the uncertainty that continues that has an absolute economic impact. But it is pretty profound to walk up and down the streets and to see the empty streets, it reminded me of COVID,” Bass told the Times on Sunday.

There are entire sectors of the economy in Los Angeles that depend on immigrant labor.

This administration is waging a war against our own economy. pic.twitter.com/9G8YXV8i5P

— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) June 16, 2025

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Restaurant owners reportedly told Bass that the recent environment has been more damaging to business than during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said the lack of foot traffic, combined with reduced takeout orders, is hitting small restaurants hard.

According to Bass, part of the problem may be that many people are not going to work and therefore have less disposable income for dining out.

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Every store is boarded up and fortified. This is California, this is supposed to be one of the most prestigious iconic places on earth

Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass have made it a 3rd world country pic.twitter.com/ExCrwYUO4I

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) June 16, 2025

During the pandemic, Bass and fellow Democrats in California supported a sweeping set of public health mandates that included business shutdowns, school closures, and mask requirements.

These policies were met with criticism for their extensive economic impact and limited long-term effectiveness.

At the time, Bass and others also blamed President Donald Trump for the spread of the virus, pointing to his skepticism of extended shutdowns and mandates as placing the public at risk.

Bass has continued to criticize the Trump administration in the current context of immigration enforcement.

She has previously claimed that actions taken by ICE have escalated tensions in Los Angeles neighborhoods and have had a chilling effect on residents, particularly in areas with high numbers of non-citizens.

While the Los Angeles Times described these communities as “immigrant” neighborhoods, it did not differentiate between legal immigrants and those in the country illegally.

In her recent remarks, Bass echoed past statements suggesting that unrest in Los Angeles is linked directly to the presence of ICE operations, stating that many residents are afraid to leave their homes due to the perceived threat of deportation raids.

Donald Trump is incapable of empathy and doesn’t believe in science.

He’s the last person who should be briefing the American people about the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/9Fj2v8bGDl

— Congressmember Bass (@RepKarenBass) July 23, 2020

The federal government under President Donald Trump has expanded ICE operations in sanctuary jurisdictions like Los Angeles, prioritizing the arrest and removal of illegal immigrants, particularly those with criminal records or outstanding orders of removal.

Bass has stated that the unrest in the city could continue unless federal immigration enforcement efforts are halted.

Her comparison of ICE raids to pandemic-era lockdowns has drawn attention as tensions rise between federal immigration authorities and local governments that oppose deportation efforts.

No further announcements were made by Bass regarding policy changes, but she reiterated that her office would continue to monitor the situation and support businesses in affected neighborhoods.

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