Vice President JD Vance unleashed a blistering rebuke of California leadership, accusing Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of encouraging anarchy by turning the city into a sanctuary for lawlessness.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to a federal operations center in Los Angeles, Vance said he was “disgusted” by how local politicians have emboldened mobs to obstruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and target federal officers. “Let’s call it what it is—Newsom and Bass have declared open season on federal law enforcement,” Vance said. “They’ve surrendered the streets to anti-ICE extremists and are now crying foul because we’re restoring order.”
Vance revealed that several ICE officers told him they were unable to carry out routine enforcement duties without being swarmed or tailed within minutes. “They’re being hunted while the politicians look the other way. It’s disgraceful.”
The Vice President also mocked Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom for what he called their “sudden concern” over the National Guard presence. “If they did their job, we wouldn’t have to send in troops,” he said. “They let this chaos fester. President Trump sent the Guard to protect lives.”
Vance didn’t stop there. He criticized Senator Alex Padilla for his silence, then mistakenly referred to him as “Jose Padilla”—a name associated with a convicted terrorist—sparking outrage from Democrats. The Vice President later shrugged off the criticism, saying, “The real scandal is not what I called him—it’s what he refuses to stand up against.”
As Los Angeles continues to grapple with widespread unrest, ICE officials have confirmed hundreds of arrests, multiple attacks on federal facilities, and the targeting of federal vehicles. The Department of Justice is now reviewing dozens of federal charges against individuals believed to have led the violent demonstrations.
Despite the chaos, Newsom and Bass remain defiant. Newsom’s office labeled Vance’s remarks “a cheap political stunt,” while Bass accused the Trump administration of “militarizing immigration enforcement.” But to Vance, the response only proves the point: “They’re more worried about political optics than public safety.”
With the streets of Los Angeles still smoldering and federal officers under siege, Vance’s message was blunt: “Enough is enough. We’re not asking permission to restore order—we’re doing it.”
