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Karen Bass Is Back for Another CNN Interview

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  June 16, 2025 5:00 PM

Since it appears that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' interview with CNN last week about the riots in her own city did not go poorly enough, she was back on Sunday to speak with Dana Bash for "State of the Union." Not only did she touch upon the riots, as well as the "No Kings Day" protests, but she also made claims about immigrant labor.

Although the conversation began with discussion on Saturday's planned protests across the country, Bass brought up the violent riots from earlier this month, as she spoke out against the ICE raids.

"If the raids hadn't happened, then that protest would have been a No Kings protest. We know that that was planned months in advance. But the, uh, disruption and the fear that has been caused by... the raids has really had a devastating effect and has been a body blow to our economy," Bass lamented as part of remarks that the Trump White House took notice of. "I don't think the president understands that we have entire sectors of our economy that cannot function without immigrant labor."

As the conversation moved on, Bass stressed a narrative she and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), have gone with when it comes to the presence of the National Guard and the Marines, as sent in by the Trump administration. 

"But I do want to dispel the notion that the military is here. We don't want them here. They don't need to be here. Our local law enforcement have complete control of this situation. And I will tell you, the 30,000 people were downtown L.A. There were protests in 15 different locations in our city," Bass said. "I flew over each one of them, and they were overwhelmingly peaceful. It's not shocking that, at the end of a protest, that you're going to have some confrontation. Of course, I wish there was none at all. But I don't think that characterized the day at all," she even went on to say.

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While California Democrats like Bass, but also former Vice President Kamala Harris have tried to claim a sense of "complete control of the situation" from local law enforcement, law enforcement on the ground has actually said the opposite. 

Moderator Dana Bash has also been trying to stress a sense of peacefulness about the riots and protests, which Bass went right along with. Bash herself was part of those in the media trying to downplay the mayhem in the days following the riots from earlier this month.

Footage shows how there is still unrest, though.

That point about "immigrant labor" from moments before, which Bass notably did not distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, came up later on in the interview as well. 

As Bash brought up orders from the Trump administration to pause immigration raids in certain locations, it's worth mentioning that Trump also wants a doubling down in Democrat-run cities. 

"I wish that he would look at the broader impact on our economy. For example, the construction industry cannot function without immigrant labor," Bass complained about the president. She also further complained about how the community is reacting to ICE's presence. "You hear people talking in restaurants all over about how they don't want to go out anymore. You have people that won't come out of their house because they don't want to buy groceries. You have churches that are on hybrid because people are afraid to go to churches," she mentioned. "Why? Because there was an arrest outside a church. So all of this has created a feeling of fear and terror around our city, and like I said before, is a body blow to the overall economy of the [nation's] second largest city."

If Los Angeles had been willing to enforce immigration law, rather than be a sanctuary city, perhaps there wouldn't be "a feeling of fear and terror around our city."

Later, when speaking about comparisons to the 1992 riots over Rodney King, Bass continued to further still downplay the situation in her own city that she's poorly handled when it comes this and other situations befalling Los Angeles, including the wildfires from January. "And, unfortunately, that is what is being pushed, as though the city is in chaos, there's civil unrest everywhere," which actually does look to be the case in many parts of the city.

Bass has also been quite active over X when it comes to doubling down on her narratives about ICE's presence under the second Trump administration. As Sarah covered, the mayor made her Father's Day post about illegal immigration and ICE raids. With 18,000 replies, it's earned quite the ratio. 

On Monday, Bass posted about a Truth Social post from Trump on Sunday night regarding his praise of ICE officers. The mayor felt the need to jump in, though, and claim that the administration "is, once again, manufacturing a crisis."

"Our Nation’s ICE Officers have shown incredible strength, determination, and courage as they facilitate a very important mission, the largest Mass Deportation Operation of Illegal Aliens in History. Every day, the Brave Men and Women of ICE are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians, but nothing will stop us from executing our mission, and fulfilling our Mandate to the American People. ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History," Trump began his post by mentioning.

He also asked for more enforcement of immigration laws. "In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside. These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens," he went on to write.

In addition to more praise for these agents, Trump's post also added another directive. "I want our Brave ICE Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day. The American People want our Cities, Schools, and Communities to be SAFE and FREE from Illegal Alien Crime, Conflict, and Chaos. That’s why I have directed my entire Administration to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia. Our Federal Government will continue to be focused on the REMIGRATION of Aliens to the places from where they came, and preventing the admission of ANYONE who undermines the domestic tranquility of the United States," he stressed.