'They snatch people off our streets': LA Mayor Karen Bass signs directive barring ICE from city properties

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday intensified her confrontation with federal immigration authorities, announcing a series of measures aimed at curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity across the city.

Calling the situation “not normal,” Bass signed an executive directive restricting federal immigration agents from using or staging operations at any city-owned or city-controlled property. “We will never allow our city to be divided,” she said, describing the move as necessary to “protect Los Angeles” from federal overreach.

City moves to restrict ICE footprint

The new directive instructs the Los Angeles Police Department to preserve all evidence related to immigration enforcement operations, ensuring that these activities can be thoroughly documented and reviewed.

Bass also directed the city’s Planning Department to prepare an ordinance that would impose fees on private property owners who grant federal agents site control for enforcement actions.

In addition, the mayor’s office is looking at whether the Police Commission can implement elements of a California law, recently blocked by a judge, that sought to prohibit federal immigration officers from wearing masks during raids.

Bass has repeatedly criticised agents for masking their identities and conducting operations without clear identification, calling the practice “outrageous.”

The measures build on earlier steps taken by the mayor, including instructing city departments to develop preparedness plans for federal immigration activity and appoint designated “immigration affairs liaisons.”

A vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration tactics, Bass has argued that recent raids have instilled fear among residents and hurt local businesses. Federal authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The latest move signals a deepening policy and legal clash between Los Angeles and Washington over immigration enforcement, with the city positioning itself firmly against expanded federal operations within its limits.