Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that she was concerned on Friday when asked about Hispanic Americans who are choosing to join Border Patrol.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked Mayor Bass about a recent CNN report examining the motivations of Border Patrol recruits, many of whom were Hispanic. Those officers were asked to respond to critics who argued they were betraying their community by arresting their “own kind” or “own blood.”
According to federal data, more than half of all Border Patrol agents are Hispanic Americans.
“Well, in a way, I think it’s sad,” Bass said. “I think that those Border Patrol agents are going to have a difficult time when they’re out in the field, and they see what actually happens in real life separate from their training.”
The Hispanic agents didn't see it that way.
A 20-year-old Border Patrol recruit, Juan Peralta, told CNN correspondent David Culver, “They didn‘t come in the right way. So, they aren‘t my kind."
Another agent, Claudio Herrera, voiced a similar opinion, telling CNN, “I’m protecting my community. I’m protecting both sides of the border.”
However, Mayor Bass doubled down, arguing that Hispanic agents joined purely because of the financial incentives.
“I do understand that their primary incentive is financial,” the mayor said. “I think it just speaks to the financial situation that millions of Americans find themselves in. And I definitely am concerned about that report.”
LA Mayor Karen Bass says it's 'sad' that Hispanics are joining Border Patrol, suggests they're only doing it for money https://t.co/R14Kif2Jmk pic.twitter.com/ErjLl975wj
— New York Post (@nypost) December 28, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security's official account responded on X, writing:
Mayor Karen Bass’ comments only reveal how detached she is from reality and how averse she is to the rule of law and public safety. The patriotic men and women joined Border Patrol because they want to defend our homeland, help secure our borders, and catch drug traffickers, gang members, pedophiles, rapists, and murderers trying to illegally enter our country. Mayor Bass should stop race-baiting for media clicks and start thanking our law enforcement officers for making California communities safe again—something she refuses to do.
Mayor Karen Bass’ comments only reveal how detached she is from reality and how averse she is to the rule of law and public safety.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 28, 2025
The patriotic men and women joined Border Patrol because they want to defend our homeland, help secure our borders, and catch drug traffickers,… https://t.co/OWszIZM75s
President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill allocated $7.8 billion to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to hire and train new agents. This includes hiring incentives totaling more than $60,000 for new agents, including $10,000 once they complete the academy and an additional $10,000 if new agents are assigned to a remote location.
“CBP is committed to recruiting and retaining top talent for our critical mission,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said last week. “By offering competitive incentives, we are investing in skilled professionals who will help secure America’s borders and advance national security.”
In total, the Big Beautiful Bill provided more than $70 billion in supplemental border security funding over four years, including roughly $46–47 billion for wall construction, $5 billion for CBP facilities and checkpoints, $6.2 billion for border technology, and additional funds for vehicles.
Overall, around $170 billion has been allocated to border security, giving CBP and ICE budgets larger than the militaries of Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, or Colombia.
President Trump has made clear that the U.S. border will be shut, remain shut, and that those who entered the country illegally will be deported. This year alone, more than 2.5 million illegal immigrants have already been deported.