“I Will Always Protect Angelenos”: Mayor Bass Responds to the Trump Administration’s Continued Assault on Los Angeles

“June 5th, three short weeks ago, Los Angeles was calm. Angelenos were going about work, school, and families were preparing for graduation events. The next day the federal government decided to disrupt our city and began a series of immigration raids, arresting hundreds of people, many for dubious reasons, beginning what I will call an all-out-assault on Los Angeles. 

“First, the raids, then randomly grabbing people off the streets, chasing Angelenos through parking lots. Sending in federalized troops to stand idle, protecting two buildings, and having U.S. Marines trained to fight the enemy abroad stationed here and caravanning around town, intimidating Angelenos. Creating a sense of fear and terror in our city, families missing graduations, people afraid to go to work and school. Businesses unable to open and inflicting a serious blow to our local economy. And in addition to that, initiating investigations led by Republicans in Congress. The Secretary of Transportation, requesting documents and communications with the implication that the Mayor's Office and the City was either negligent or complicit in the protests and the vandalism that was falsely portrayed as citywide riots. And now filing a lawsuit against the City. Again, this is essentially an all out assault against Los Angeles. 

“The lawsuit is an attempt to overturn the will of the city, calling for a halt to longstanding policy to protect immigrant Angelenos. We are a city of immigrants who have had policies in place for decades. Ironically, originally, the law was for public safety so the newly-arrived immigrant population that was being preyed on by criminals would feel safe in reporting crimes to law enforcement. 

“As the City Attorney said yesterday, our city remains committed to standing up for our Constitutional rights and the rights of our residents. We will defend our ordinance and continue to defend policies that reflect the longstanding values of our city. 

“We know that Los Angeles is the test case, and we will stand strong. We do so because the people snatched off City streets and chased through parking lots are our coworkers, our neighbors, our family members, and they are Angelenos. 

“Let me be clear, I personally won't be intimidated by these tactics. We will not be intimidated by these tactics. I will always protect Angelenos against the unwarranted and cruel actions of this administration. We know, as I said before, that our city has been used as a test case for an extremist agenda, but L.A. will stand strong, and we will stand together. 

“We are a city of diversity, of labor, of business, of faith, of community, of creativity, of success. We are a proud American city, and we will stand united.”

SOURCE: https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/i-will-always-protect-angelenos-mayor-bass-responds-trump-administrations-continued-assault