Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass compared the economic impact of immigration raids on small businesses to government lockdowns imposed by her party on California during the coronavirus pandemic, in an interview on Sunday.
Bass made the comments after visiting several small businesses and residential areas in the predominantly-Latino community of Boyle Heights that morning, along with Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, D-Los Angeles, according to The Los Angeles Times. The mayor described observing vacant businesses and residents who were afraid to leave their homes to celebrate Father's Day.
"Mariachi Plaza was completely empty. There was not a soul there," Bass told The Times. "One restaurant, there were a handful of people. The other restaurant, there was literally nobody there."
Bass decried the raids, arguing that immigrant labor was essential to the city's economy, particularly in the construction, retail and restaurant industries, but raids had created a climate of fear that was hurting businesses.
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"It's the uncertainty that continues that has an absolute economic impact," she continued. "But it is pretty profound to walk up and down the streets and to see the empty streets. It reminded me of COVID."
Los Angeles was placed under some of the strictest restrictions in the nation during the coronavirus pandemic, closing churches, schools, and enforcing stay-at-home orders and mask mandates. It was also the top county in the nation with COVID-19 cases.
Restaurant operators in the community reportedly told Bass that their businesses were suffering even worse now than they did during the lockdowns because immigrants weren't showing up to work and people had less disposable income to eat out because they weren't working.
One restaurant owner was in tears over the situation, according to Assemblymember Gonzales.
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"He said, 'It's so empty. I've never seen it like this, and I don't know how we can survive this,'" Gonzales recalled, according to the Times. The business owner blamed President Donald Trump for the impact to his business.
"For somebody who's supposed to be business oriented, he sure is allowing local businesses to sink and have the effect that these raids are having," the man said, according to Gonzales.
The Trump administration has shifted its immigration strategy in the past week, according to a report by The New York Times. The administration ordered a pause on deportation raids on agricultural sites, hotels and restaurants, and not to arrest "noncriminal collaterals." The move came out of fears that the sweeping raids were hurting key industries in the U.S. However, immigration officials were reportedly told to continue raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants.
Immigration protests began in L.A. on June 7, after local ICE raids resulted in hundreds of arrests, including the arrests of those with violent criminal histories. The president immediately deployed the National Guard to the area when protests started two weeks ago, garnering criticism from Democrats insisting their presence would only escalate tensions.
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During the riots, looters were captured on video vandalizing and ransacking several Los Angeles stores. While major chains like Apple took the brunt of the robberies, local businesses were also caught in the crossfire.
Some local business owners directed their outrage toward the rioters and city leaders.
"We are sick and tired of it," Paul Scrivano told "Fox & Friends First" last week. "We have no one in charge. I would go so far as to say we have children in charge of Los Angeles right now."
Fox News' Lindsay Kornick and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
