Failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris has largely been quiet. But she’s working behind the curtains.
And Kamala Harris just left a very strange voicemail that’s leaked to the press and the public.
Harris Stokes Tensions with Soft Stance on Los Angeles Anti-ICE Riots
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has thrust herself into a political firestorm with her response to the violent anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots that erupted in Los Angeles, reaching out to Democratic allies like Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom to express sympathy for protesters, according to a Politico report on Thursday. Her actions raise questions about the Democratic Party’s commitment to law enforcement, as her statements appear to prioritize political posturing over public safety.
The riots, which broke out over the weekend, prompted President Donald Trump to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to quell the unrest. Harris, a Los Angeles resident, left a voicemail for Newsom expressing support after failing to reach him, Politico reported. Her public statement on X, posted Sunday, called Trump’s deployment a “dangerous escalation,” framing the protests as a justified response to federal immigration policies.
“Los Angeles is my home,” Harris wrote. “And like so many Americans, I am appalled at what we are witnessing on the streets of our city. Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos. In addition to the recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation, it is part of the Trump Administration’s cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division.” Her remarks suggest a reluctance to condemn the violence outright, a stance that has drawn sharp criticism.
Harris’ defenders attribute her empathy for protesters to her California roots and her exposure to civil rights demonstrations in her youth, an anonymous source told Politico. Yet this personal connection seems to cloud her judgment, as she downplayed the riots’ destructive impact. Her claim that the demonstrations were “overwhelmingly peaceful” has been met with skepticism, given reports of vandalism, burning cars, and attacks on law enforcement.
“Protest is a powerful tool — essential in the fight for justice,” Harris continued in her statement. “And as the LAPD, Mayor, and Governor have noted, demonstrations in defense of our immigrant neighbors have been overwhelmingly peaceful. I continue to support the millions of Americans who are standing up to protect our most fundamental rights and freedoms.” This rhetoric, while appealing to progressive ideals, sidesteps the reality of injured officers and disrupted communities.
The unrest stems from ICE operations targeting criminal illegal immigrants, including m*rderers and s*x offenders, in Los Angeles, a self-declared “sanctuary city” since November 2024. ICE arrested 45 individuals at various locations, including Home Depot stores and a doughnut shop, the agency confirmed Sunday. The violence against federal agents, including rocks thrown through windshields, left several officers injured, with one Border Patrol agent’s bloody hand shared publicly by Chief Michael Banks.
Harris’ comments have ignited a firestorm of conservative backlash. “The country really dodged a bullet in November,” Fox News contributor Guy Benson posted on X, referencing Harris’ 2024 presidential loss. He added, “Their official position is that they’re appalled by what’s happening in Los Angeles…because of Trump and ICE, not the violent rioters. In its current form, this party cannot be salvaged.” The sentiment reflects growing frustration with Democrats’ perceived leniency toward lawlessness.
“Thank you, America, for employing brain cells and rejecting this woman’s quest to become president of the United States,” Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich wrote on X. Conservative influencer LibsofTikTok responded with images of rioters attacking police and torching vehicles, challenging Harris’ “mostly peaceful” characterization.
Kamala Harris is a complete joke, a total irrelevance. Her only contribution has been a pathetic, pandering statement aimed at appeasing left wing activists. pic.twitter.com/G8xyFS6Gw4
— steve hilton (@SteveHiltonx) June 11, 2025
“No surprise[sic] that the most incompetent Vice President in history stands with the illegal alien rioters,” GOP Sen. Tom Cotton posted on X. White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields shared a map of Trump’s 2024 electoral gains, captioning it “America’s statement.” The responses highlight a political divide, with conservatives framing Harris’ stance as emblematic of Democratic weakness on crime.
“President Trump didn’t start these riots,” Riverside County Sheriff and California GOP gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco posted on X. “He’s not out there lighting cars on fire, hurling projectiles at law enforcement or blocking freeways. This statement is an embarrassment and does nothing to diffuse the violent riots taking place across the city.” Bianco’s remarks reflect the exasperation of law enforcement officials caught in the crossfire of political rhetoric.
Democratic leaders like Mayor Bass and Gov. Newsom have echoed Harris’ criticism of ICE’s actions. Bass issued a statement supporting illegal immigrants, while Newsom called the raids “chaotic and reckless.” “Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel,” Newsom’s statement read. “Donald Trump’s chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America’s economy.” Their alignment with Harris suggests a coordinated Democratic resistance to federal immigration enforcement.
The riots have intensified scrutiny of Harris’ political ambitions. She is weighing a 2026 gubernatorial run or a 2028 presidential bid, with a decision expected by summer’s end, Politico reported in March. “If she [Harris] was worried that her becoming governor might put a bigger target on California, the last week took that question off the table,” an anonymous Harris supporter told Politico. “We’ve got a helluva target on us no matter who the governor is.” Yet her handling of the riots may alienate moderate voters.
Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio told Politico that a 2028 presidential run would face “enhanced competition” but noted Harris’ anti-Trump credentials could bolster her gubernatorial campaign. “There’s enhanced competition if she does decide to run for president. That’s a worry, because she’s clearly thinking, ‘Do I want to do that again?’” he said. “On the other hand, it helps her if she runs for governor, because aside from him in the state, she’s viewed as the most anti-Trump candidate.” Her current stance risks reinforcing perceptions of Democrats as soft on crime.
“Why do Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass care more about violent m*rderers and s*x offenders than they do about protecting their own citizens?” asked Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “These rioters in Los Angeles are fighting to keep r*pists, m*rderers, and other violent criminals loose on Los Angeles streets. Instead of rioting, they should be thanking ICE officers every single day who wake up and make our communities safer.” McLaughlin’s pointed critique highlights the disconnect between Democratic rhetoric and public safety concerns.
“In this appalling statement you are siding with violent criminals over California communities; rioters over law enforcement; illegal immigrants over legal immigrants and American citizens,” Fox News contributor and GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton posted on X. “You are a pandering machine politician who should never hold public office again.” The accusation of pandering resonates with critics who see Harris’ response as a calculated appeal to progressive activists.
“Everyone already knows that Kamala Harris supports violent criminal illegal aliens — that’s why the American people resoundingly rejected her in November,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “Harris’s tenure as Vice President was defined by one humiliating failure after another, including overseeing the invasion of tens of millions of illegal immigrants as Biden’s Border Czar, that President Trump is now cleaning up. Harris should stop embarrassing herself by pretending anyone cares about her opinion and slink back into irrelevancy where she belongs.”
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