Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is navigating a fresh crisis as the Trump administration escalates immigration raids in the city, deploying National Guard troops and Marines amid protests. The 71-year-old Democrat, a former community organiser and the city’s first Black female mayor, has drawn both praise and criticism for her handling of the situation.
Bass has forcefully denounced the federal actions, calling them an “outright lie” that paints LA as a war zone. She insists the protests bear no resemblance to the 1992 LA uprising, which she experienced firsthand as a community leader in South Central. “There is zero comparison,” she said, emphasising that immigrants are central to the city’s identity.
However, Bass’s tenure has been marked by a series of escalating post-Covid crises, including homelessness, housing costs, Hollywood strikes, and wildfires. In January, she faced backlash for travelling to Ghana during high wildfire risk, and a May poll showed half of voters view her unfavourably. Critics question her leadership amid the current turmoil.
Despite the challenges, Bass has earned praise within California for her focus on immigrant safety. Council member Eunisses Hernandez said, “As city leadership, she’s been holding it down.” But with at least 2,000 National Guard troops still stationed in downtown LA and a legal battle over their deployment ongoing, the mayor’s political future remains uncertain.
