Congressional Democrats are struggling to present a unified message as violent riots rage in Los Angeles following recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting illegal immigrants. The party remains sharply divided on whether the violence is even real, despite clear video evidence and multiple law enforcement reports.
California Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters has repeatedly dismissed claims of violence, saying, “There was no violence. I was on the street, I know.” Waters insisted that no one was shot or killed and claimed reports were exaggerations. Her statements directly contradict those of Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who described the situation as “anarchy and true chaos.”
At Tuesday’s press conference, Waters downplayed the deployment of the National Guard, saying it was unnecessary. Meanwhile, House Democratic leaders issued generic condemnations of “lawless” behavior but avoided criticizing Waters directly. Rep. Pete Aguilar, Democratic Caucus Chair, acknowledged crimes occurred but claimed most of the city is operating “as usual” and blamed President Donald Trump for escalating the situation.
Aguilar defended Waters, stating, “I would argue ‘Listen to the LA members,’” while suggesting that the same footage of a burning car is being recycled by media to overstate the scale of the unrest.
When pressed about Fetterman’s charge that Democrats have “lost the moral high ground” by failing to denounce the riots, House Democrats dismissed the question without offering a direct response.
Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back hard on Waters’ characterization, calling it “madness.” Republicans, led by California Rep. Young Kim, introduced a resolution Tuesday to formally denounce the violence.
As the Democratic Party offers conflicting narratives and avoids accountability, Republicans continue pressing for law and order and condemning the riots that have gripped Los Angeles.
The division has exposed deep fractures within the Democratic Party on law enforcement and public safety. While some lawmakers continue to defend lawless behavior under the guise of activism, others are warning that the party’s reluctance to confront violent unrest head-on could alienate working-class voters and further damage its credibility on crime.
