Fact Check: Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, stated on June 13, 2023, that it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their immigration status.

Fact Check: Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, stated on June 13, 2023, that it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their immigration status.

Published June 15, 2025
±
VERDICT
Partially True

# Fact Check: "Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, stated on June 13, 2023, that it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their ...

Fact Check: "Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, stated on June 13, 2023, that it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their immigration status."

What We Know

On June 13, 2023, Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles made statements regarding her role in protecting the city's residents amid rising tensions related to federal immigration enforcement actions. In her remarks, she expressed her commitment to the safety of all residents, emphasizing that Los Angeles is a city of immigrants. She stated, “As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place” in reference to recent ICE actions that have caused fear within the community (source-2).

Bass's statements were made in the context of a broader discussion about public safety and the rights of individuals to protest peacefully. She has also been in contact with immigrant rights organizations, indicating her administration's commitment to support these communities during times of distress (source-1).

Analysis

The claim that Mayor Bass stated it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their immigration status, is partially true. While she did not explicitly use the phrase "regardless of their immigration status" in the statements reviewed, her comments strongly imply a commitment to the safety of all residents, including undocumented immigrants. The context of her statements reflects a clear stance against federal immigration enforcement actions that create fear among immigrant communities (source-2).

However, the lack of direct phrasing in her statements leaves room for interpretation. The mayor's focus was more on the broader implications of safety and community support rather than an explicit declaration of her role in protecting undocumented individuals. This nuance is important when evaluating the accuracy of the claim.

The sources used in this analysis are credible, coming from official statements by Mayor Bass and reputable news outlets. The statements reflect her official position and are consistent with her public persona as a proponent of immigrant rights. However, it is essential to note that the interpretation of her statements can vary based on political perspectives, which may introduce bias in how they are perceived (source-3).

Conclusion

The claim that Mayor Karen Bass stated it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their immigration status, is partially true. While she did not explicitly use that phrasing, her statements convey a commitment to the safety and protection of all residents, including those without legal immigration status. The context of her remarks suggests a protective stance, but the absence of direct language leaves some ambiguity.

Sources

  1. Statement from Mayor Karen Bass Regarding Recent Clashes
  2. Mayor Bass Issues Statement Following Reports of ICE Action
  3. Immigration Protests Live Updates: Marines Take Over
  4. LA mayor Karen Bass on ICE raids: 'We're a test case for...'
  5. L.A. Mayor’s Big Move on Protests to Keep Trump Away
  6. Mayor Karen Bass, other regional mayors address 'reckless...'
  7. L.A. protests: National Guard deployed as Trump opposes...
  8. 'You don't know if you'll return home': Immigration raids...

Have a claim you want to verify? It's 100% Free!

Our AI-powered fact-checker analyzes claims against thousands of reliable sources and provides evidence-based verdicts in seconds. Completely free with no registration required.

💡 Try:
"Coffee helps you live longer"
100% Free
No Registration
Instant Results

Comments

Leave a comment

Loading comments...

More Fact Checks to Explore

Discover similar claims and stay informed with these related fact-checks

Fact Check: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is handing out cash cards like Halloween candy to illegal immigrants — while 16,000+ wildfire victims who lost their homes and businesses are STILL waiting for help.

🔥 Only 12 rebuilding permits have been issued. TWELVE.
🔥 Entire communities reduced to ashes.
🔥 Taxpaying Americans left in a bureaucratic chokehold.
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is handing out cash cards like Halloween candy to illegal immigrants — while 16,000+ wildfire victims who lost their homes and businesses are STILL waiting for help. 🔥 Only 12 rebuilding permits have been issued. TWELVE. 🔥 Entire communities reduced to ashes. 🔥 Taxpaying Americans left in a bureaucratic chokehold.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is handing out cash cards like Halloween candy to illegal immigrants — while 16,000+ wildfire victims who lost their homes and businesses are STILL waiting for help. 🔥 Only 12 rebuilding permits have been issued. TWELVE. 🔥 Entire communities reduced to ashes. 🔥 Taxpaying Americans left in a bureaucratic chokehold.

Jul 26, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized President Trump for spending $134 million on federal troops to quell anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized President Trump for spending $134 million on federal troops to quell anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized President Trump for spending $134 million on federal troops to quell anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles.

Jun 14, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is trying to secede from the federal government.
False
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is trying to secede from the federal government.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is trying to secede from the federal government.

Jul 12, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: President Donald Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard members and 700 marines to quell anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles without consulting California Governor Gavin Newsom or notifying Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
True

Fact Check: President Donald Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard members and 700 marines to quell anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles without consulting California Governor Gavin Newsom or notifying Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: President Donald Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard members and 700 marines to quell anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles without consulting California Governor Gavin Newsom or notifying Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Jun 15, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: LA Mayor Karen Bass has issued a directive DEMANDING federal authorities to notify her of ALL ICE raids in the city, aiming to "shield" LA from Federal Law Enforcement.
Partially True

Fact Check: LA Mayor Karen Bass has issued a directive DEMANDING federal authorities to notify her of ALL ICE raids in the city, aiming to "shield" LA from Federal Law Enforcement.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: LA Mayor Karen Bass has issued a directive DEMANDING federal authorities to notify her of ALL ICE raids in the city, aiming to "shield" LA from Federal Law Enforcement.

Jul 21, 2025
Read more →
🔍
Partially True

Fact Check: Paul Krugman Paul Krugman We’re All Rats Now Time to take a stand, again, against racism Paul Krugman Jun 30, 2025 Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York’s Democratic primary has created panic in MAGAland. Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump’s deportation policies, waxed apocalyptic: Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, declared that New York is about to turn into “Caracas on the Hudson.” And Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama basically declared New York’s voters subhuman, saying: These inner-city rats, they live off the federal government. And that’s one reason we’re $37 trillion in debt. And it’s time we find these rats and we send them back home, that are living off the American taxpayers that are working very hard every week to pay taxes. These reactions are vile, and they’re also dishonest. Whatever these men may claim, it’s all about bigotry. Miller isn’t concerned about the state of New York “society.” What bothers him is the idea of nonwhite people having political power. Bessent isn’t really deeply worried about Zamdani’s economic ideas. But he feels free, maybe even obliged, to slander a foreign-born Muslim with language he would never use about a white Christian politician, even if that politician were (like some of his colleagues in the Trump administration) a total crackpot. And while Tuberville stands out even within his caucus as an ignorant fool, his willingness to use dehumanizing language about millions of people shows that raw racism is rapidly becoming mainstream in American politics. Remember, during the campaign both Trump and JD Vance amplified the slanders about Haitians eating pets. And now that they’re in office, you can see the resurgence of raw racism all across Trump administration policies, large and small. You can see it, for example, in the cuts at the National Institutes of Health, which are so tilted against racial minorities that a federal judge — one appointed by Ronald Reagan! — declared I’ve never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable. I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this. You can see it in the renaming of military bases after Confederate generals — that is, traitors who fought for slavery. You can even see it in a change in the military’s shaving policy that is clearly custom-designed to drive Black men — who account for around a quarter of the Army’s new recruits — out of the service. So racism and bigotry are back, big time. Who’s safe? Nobody. Are you a legal immigrant? Well, the Supreme Court just allowed Trump to summarily strip half a million U.S. residents of that status, and only a fool would imagine that this is the end of the story. Anyway, when masked men who claim to be ICE agents but refuse to show identification are grabbing people off the streets because they think those people look illegal, does legal status even matter? Does it even matter if you’re a U.S. citizen? And the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is set to massively increase ICE’s funding — basically setting up a huge national secret police force. Now, maybe you imagine that you yourself won’t suffer from this new reign of bigotry and imagine that everyone you care about is similarly safe. But if that’s what you think, you’re likely to face a rude awakening. I personally don’t have any illusions of safety. Yes, I’m a native-born white citizen. But my wife and her family are Black, and some of my friends and relatives are foreign-born U.S. citizens. Furthermore, I’m Jewish, and anyone who knows their history realizes that whenever right-wing bigotry is on the ascendant, we’re always next in line. Are there really people out there naïve enough to believe MAGA’s claims to be against antisemitism, who can’t see the transparent cynicism and dishonesty? The fact is that the Trump administration already contains a number of figures with strong ties to antisemitic extremists. The Great Replacement Theory, which has de facto become part of MAGA’s ideology, doesn’t just say that there’s a conspiracy to replace whites with people of color; it says that it’s a Jewish conspiracy. So I’m definitely scared of what the many antisemites inside or with close ties to the Trump administration may eventually do. And no, I’m not frightened at all by the prospect that New York may soon have a somewhat leftist Muslim mayor. Anyway, my personal fears are beside the point. Everyone who cares about keeping America America needs to take a stand against the resurgence of bigotry. Because the truth is that we’re all rats now. MUSICAL CODA Discussion about this post Michael Roseman Jun 30 Edited For a while, American bigotry was ashamed of itself. Or pretended to be. Now it runs the government. Reply Share 106 replies Megan Rothery Jun 30 Edited Take a stand - Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. Use/share this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, as well as those in others. Use your voice and make some “good trouble” ❤️‍🩹🤍💙 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit?usp=drivesdk Reply Share 31 replies 852 more comments... No posts Ready for more? © 2025 Paul Krugman Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice Start writing Get the app Substack is the home for great culture

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Paul Krugman Paul Krugman We’re All Rats Now Time to take a stand, again, against racism Paul Krugman Jun 30, 2025 Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York’s Democratic primary has created panic in MAGAland. Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump’s deportation policies, waxed apocalyptic: Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, declared that New York is about to turn into “Caracas on the Hudson.” And Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama basically declared New York’s voters subhuman, saying: These inner-city rats, they live off the federal government. And that’s one reason we’re $37 trillion in debt. And it’s time we find these rats and we send them back home, that are living off the American taxpayers that are working very hard every week to pay taxes. These reactions are vile, and they’re also dishonest. Whatever these men may claim, it’s all about bigotry. Miller isn’t concerned about the state of New York “society.” What bothers him is the idea of nonwhite people having political power. Bessent isn’t really deeply worried about Zamdani’s economic ideas. But he feels free, maybe even obliged, to slander a foreign-born Muslim with language he would never use about a white Christian politician, even if that politician were (like some of his colleagues in the Trump administration) a total crackpot. And while Tuberville stands out even within his caucus as an ignorant fool, his willingness to use dehumanizing language about millions of people shows that raw racism is rapidly becoming mainstream in American politics. Remember, during the campaign both Trump and JD Vance amplified the slanders about Haitians eating pets. And now that they’re in office, you can see the resurgence of raw racism all across Trump administration policies, large and small. You can see it, for example, in the cuts at the National Institutes of Health, which are so tilted against racial minorities that a federal judge — one appointed by Ronald Reagan! — declared I’ve never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable. I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this. You can see it in the renaming of military bases after Confederate generals — that is, traitors who fought for slavery. You can even see it in a change in the military’s shaving policy that is clearly custom-designed to drive Black men — who account for around a quarter of the Army’s new recruits — out of the service. So racism and bigotry are back, big time. Who’s safe? Nobody. Are you a legal immigrant? Well, the Supreme Court just allowed Trump to summarily strip half a million U.S. residents of that status, and only a fool would imagine that this is the end of the story. Anyway, when masked men who claim to be ICE agents but refuse to show identification are grabbing people off the streets because they think those people look illegal, does legal status even matter? Does it even matter if you’re a U.S. citizen? And the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is set to massively increase ICE’s funding — basically setting up a huge national secret police force. Now, maybe you imagine that you yourself won’t suffer from this new reign of bigotry and imagine that everyone you care about is similarly safe. But if that’s what you think, you’re likely to face a rude awakening. I personally don’t have any illusions of safety. Yes, I’m a native-born white citizen. But my wife and her family are Black, and some of my friends and relatives are foreign-born U.S. citizens. Furthermore, I’m Jewish, and anyone who knows their history realizes that whenever right-wing bigotry is on the ascendant, we’re always next in line. Are there really people out there naïve enough to believe MAGA’s claims to be against antisemitism, who can’t see the transparent cynicism and dishonesty? The fact is that the Trump administration already contains a number of figures with strong ties to antisemitic extremists. The Great Replacement Theory, which has de facto become part of MAGA’s ideology, doesn’t just say that there’s a conspiracy to replace whites with people of color; it says that it’s a Jewish conspiracy. So I’m definitely scared of what the many antisemites inside or with close ties to the Trump administration may eventually do. And no, I’m not frightened at all by the prospect that New York may soon have a somewhat leftist Muslim mayor. Anyway, my personal fears are beside the point. Everyone who cares about keeping America America needs to take a stand against the resurgence of bigotry. Because the truth is that we’re all rats now. MUSICAL CODA Discussion about this post Michael Roseman Jun 30 Edited For a while, American bigotry was ashamed of itself. Or pretended to be. Now it runs the government. Reply Share 106 replies Megan Rothery Jun 30 Edited Take a stand - Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. Use/share this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, as well as those in others. Use your voice and make some “good trouble” ❤️‍🩹🤍💙 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit?usp=drivesdk Reply Share 31 replies 852 more comments... No posts Ready for more? © 2025 Paul Krugman Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice Start writing Get the app Substack is the home for great culture

Jul 20, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, stated on June 13, 2023, that it is her job to protect everyone in the city, regardless of their immigration status. | TruthOrFake Blog