Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt said he opposes federal immigration enforcement operations in the city, but argued the controversy exists because of his top challenger.
Since last year, when ICE conducted raids in Los Angeles that spurred violent counterdemonstrations, federal immigration enforcement has focused on Los Angeles and California more broadly because of the state’s general aversion to coordinating with federal immigration officials and honoring detainer requests for imprisoned illegal immigrants.
Pratt, meanwhile, has risen to political prominence after launching a mayoral bid based partially on how he and his Pacific Palisades have been ignored or worse by the Bass administration.
"I don't want ICE in LA, nobody wants ICE in L.A. — except Karen ‘Basura’ apparently," he said in a recent social media post, referring to Mayor Karen Bass by using the Spanish term for "garbage."
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"Because the way you keep ICE out of L.A. is by enforcing the law, not defying it," Pratt said.
Pratt contrasted Bass’ approach to the Trump administration with that of California’s fourth-largest city, San Francisco, where President Donald Trump recently appeared to reach an immigration-enforcement détente with fellow Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie.
"Look at what Mayor Lurie did in San Francisco, [he's] clearly no friend of the Trump administration, but he called the president and made a deal. He vowed to have SFPD crack down on crime, and the president vowed to keep ICE out of the city," Pratt said.
"Notice what you don't see — No riots. No crazy videos of ICE agents having chaotic arrests. That's how it's done."
In October, DHS reportedly converged on a U.S. Coast Guard installation in the Bay Area, after which Lurie successfully tried to lower tensions and connected with the White House, according to Trump.
Trump said in a statement at the time he spoke to Lurie and said he would give San Francisco a chance to "turn it around" — notably declining to disparage Lurie or Democrats in the message.
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Reports also cited Big Tech allies of Trump telling him about progress being made against crime in the city, helping convince the president to let it ride.
In his message, Pratt pointed to San Francisco and other liberal-led cities like Memphis that he said lack the "chaos" seen in Los Angeles.
"It’s not a Democrat or Republican thing…" he said. "So what’s the common denominator? It's activist mayors using their city, their residents, their businesses as fodder for their political grandstanding, and people suffer as a result."
Referring to her again as "Karen Basura," Pratt said Bass is therefore "guaranteeing" future ICE escapades.
"Adults put their egos aside," he said. "That’s exactly how I will end the ICE raids in L.A. Our city is not a political playhouse; it’s our home."
Fox News Digital reached out to Pratt, Bass and DHS for comment.
