At a recent news conference, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass made a startling assertion about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents visiting sensitive locations in the city, including a homeless shelter.
This claim was particularly concerning given the context of heightened tensions surrounding ICE raids in California, especially in areas frequented by immigrants.
The specific incident in question occurred at the Whitsett West Tiny Home Village in North Hollywood, which can accommodate approximately 150 individuals and is operated by the nonprofit Hope the Mission.
Details surrounding the situation remain unclear, contributing to the anxiety of Angelenos already alert to ICE activities, particularly in local retail centers and religious establishments.
Bass stated that immigrants were being targeted as they sought refuge in various community spaces, reflecting a broader pattern of aggressive immigration enforcement.
“Last Thursday, ICE entered our city and provoked the city by chasing people through Home Depots and car washes and showing up at schools,” Bass said during the press conference, confirming reports of ICE’s presence at the Whitsett West Tiny Home Village.
The Department of Homeland Security swiftly countered Bass’s claims, labeling them as “false” and asserting that ICE does not operate in homeless shelters.
In a public statement on X, the agency emphasized that comments from Mayor Bass and other California leaders serve only to mischaracterize the work of law enforcement.
Amid rumors and concern, staff at the Whitsett West Tiny Home Village reported unusual activity, describing individuals in civilian clothing attempting to access the facility.
Laura Harwood, deputy chief program officer at Hope the Mission, detailed how individuals in a car claimed they were American citizens seeking to verify the use of taxpayer money but were ultimately denied entry by security.
“People in a car tried to get access to the tiny home village… This is a really unusual situation. This really doesn’t happen,” Harwood commented.
Other staff members observed suspicious individuals seemingly photographing the property from various vantage points.
An anonymous worker noted the sighting of two tinted-window SUVs belonging to DHS in proximity to the complex, raising further alarm among employees about potential ICE involvement.
City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian was alerted to the situation and communicated with the staff at the tiny home village regarding the potential presence of immigration agents.
Nazarian emphasized that if ICE agents were indeed present at the shelter, it would reflect a disturbing attempt to instill fear in vulnerable communities, stating this could dissuade homeless individuals from seeking shelter.
The concerning scenario underscores ongoing fears among the community that federal immigration enforcement actions could target vulnerable populations in Los Angeles, fueling a climate of anxiety.
City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez remarked on the need for thorough investigation as community organizations sift through reports of foreign federal agents to ascertain their validity.
“Sometimes people say federal agents are here, and it turns out they were never there or were gone an hour ago,” Hernandez noted.
The rampant uncertainty and difficulty in verifying claims regarding ICE’s presence accentuate the growing tensions between local government and federal immigration authorities in a city that has designated itself a ‘sanctuary city.’
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-13/ice-raid-homeless-shelter-rumor-bass
