Overview:
Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held separate but aligned press briefings in Los Angeles this week, addressing the surge in violence, looting, and unrest gripping the city. Both leaders emphasized federal intervention to maintain order and hold violent actors accountable, while thanking law enforcement and confirming that immigration enforcement remains a key part of the administration’s broader strategy.
LOS ANGELES, CA — With Los Angeles, CA at the epicenter of ongoing unrest, two top federal officials—Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem—outlined a united and forceful plan. This plan aims to restore order, protect federal infrastructure, and ensure accountability for both violent protestors and undocumented immigrants.
At separate press conferences in Los Angeles, both Bondi and Noem shared overlapping messages. Federal authorities will not hesitate to act where state leadership falls short.
Attorney General Bondi addressed the media on the heels of violent protests, widespread looting, and attacks on law enforcement. Citing inaction by Governor Gavin Newsom, Bondi said, “If Gavin Newsom isn’t going to keep California safe, we are.”
Bondi emphasized that her office is using the Hobbs Act to prosecute looters as robbers. These charges carry up to 20 years in prison. “This isn’t just looting,” she explained. “You don’t run in and out of stores with sledgehammers and leave untouched. We’re treating it as organized robbery, and we’re going to prosecute it that way.”
She praised the coordinated effort between federal agencies—FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, Homeland Security, and even the Marines and National Guard—to restore stability. Surveillance and facial recognition technologies had already led to the identification and arrest of key rioters, including one man seen throwing cinder blocks.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to the podium to reaffirm the administration’s commitment to consequence-driven enforcement.
“There will be consequences for people who perpetuate violence in Los Angeles and beyond,” Noem said. She confirmed that ICE agents are conducting targeted raids to locate and arrest undocumented immigrants as part of a broader public safety response.
“These raids are not random—they are targeted, and they are legal,” Noem stated. “We are working to remove individuals who are here unlawfully and contributing to instability during an already volatile time.”
Secretary Noem also offered a “huge thank you” to local law enforcement, praising their frontline efforts to maintain calm. “Our federal officers are here to back them up, not replace them,” she added. “We want to work hand-in-hand with those who are doing the hard work in the streets.”
The two officials painted a picture of an escalating but controlled federal response. This response prioritizes law and order, public safety, and immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, they criticized California’s political leadership for not acting more decisively.
Despite the unrest, Bondi struck a cautiously optimistic tone: “We’re hoping the curfew and federal presence will be enough, but we’re not afraid to go further.”
As Los Angeles navigates another night of protests and uncertainty, federal officials have made one thing clear. Washington is watching—and prepared to act.