Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass sat down with Radio Seoul on Tuesday to discuss the city’s response to federal immigration enforcement, ongoing efforts to combat homelessness, and preparations for the 2028 Olympics. These issues directly impact the city’s Korean-American community and small business owners.
Speaking from her office at City Hall, Bass made it clear that although LA recently won a court battle against federal immigration raids, the fight is far from over.
“The recent court ruling was a victory for the city,” Bass said. “But the federal government has filed an appeal, so the situation could change at any moment.”
The mayor outlined LA’s strategy to resist further enforcement actions, emphasizing that the city will use every constitutional tool available, including legal challenges, peaceful protests, and direct dialogue with federal authorities.
Support for Small Businesses Caught in the Crossfire
For Korean-American small business owners affected by immigration raids, Bass acknowledged the city’s limitations in providing direct financial aid due to budget constraints. However, she emphasized that LA is working to connect affected families with external foundation grants and other resources.
The impact has been felt acutely in neighborhoods like Koreatown, where businesses have struggled after employees were detained in recent enforcement sweeps.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, Bass pledged to ensure that Korean and other minority-owned businesses have equal access to contracts and opportunities tied to the games.
“We operate a Small Business Cabinet specifically to address this,” she explained. “The initiative is still in its early stages, but our goal is clear: all local communities should share in the benefits of major international events, not just a select few.”
A New Approach to Homelessness
Bass also addressed one of LA’s most visible crises: homelessness. While the number of people living on the streets has dropped to approximately 27,000 this year, down from previous years, thousands still remain without permanent housing.
“In the past, the focus was mainly on building housing,” Bass said. “But we can’t allow people to sleep on the streets while we wait for construction to finish.”
The mayor announced plans to create temporary shelters on city-owned land that prioritize both safety and privacy. This comes as a response to criticism that traditional shelter facilities feel institutional and crowded.
However, Bass acknowledged the challenges ahead. The so-called “revolving door” phenomenon, where individuals cycle between shelters and the streets, continues to plague the city’s efforts. While temporary shelters are faster and cheaper to build than permanent housing, they’ve faced community opposition and concerns about concentrating services in specific neighborhoods.
City officials say the shelters are meant as an immediate solution, but recognize that long-term, permanent supportive housing remains essential to truly solving LA’s homelessness crisis.
Building Bridges with the Korean Community
Throughout the interview, Bass emphasized the importance of direct communication with communities like LA’s Korean Americans, who make up a significant portion of the city’s small business landscape and have been disproportionately affected by both federal enforcement actions and economic uncertainty.
“We need to hear directly from communities about what they’re experiencing,” Bass said. “That’s why conversations like this matter.”
As LA navigates federal pressure on immigration, persistent homelessness, and the approaching Olympic spotlight, the mayor’s message was one of both determination and realism: progress takes time, but the city will not back down from its commitments.
By Chase Karng
