Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced sharp backlash Tuesday after demanding that federal immigration agents “go home,” a remark that quickly drew national attention and reignited scrutiny of her past decisions during public crises.
“We would like the ICE raids to stop. We would like the array of federal officials or civilians dressed as federal officials to go home,” Bass said at a press conference addressing a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit targeting Los Angeles over its sanctuary city policies.
When pressed on whether a compromise was possible with federal authorities, she replied, “The deal that needs to be made is for them to go home.”
Federal immigration officials responded swiftly and forcefully.
“If she wants distance from federal law enforcement, I’m sure there is an upcoming diplomatic trip to Ghana,” said Emily Covington, assistant director for ICE’s Office of Public Affairs.
Covington’s jab referenced Bass’s controversial trip to Ghana earlier this year—an absence that drew criticism as wildfires scorched parts of Los Angeles, as Resist the Mainstream previously reported.
The mayor later acknowledged regret over her January trip to Ghana.
“Absolutely it is [a mistake],” she said in a February interview with NBC Los Angeles. “I have to demonstrate