Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt's attempt to showcase his pro-immigrant credentials has backfired after he made a controversial statement about Mexican food consumption. In a profile for Vanity Fair, the former reality star boasted about his appreciation for LA's Latino community by claiming he has eaten more Mexican food than any white person in the city.
Pratt's Immigration Stance
"I've said a million times, I don't want ICE here but I want to get the murderers and rapists out," Pratt said. "I've eaten more Mexican food than any white person in Los Angeles. I love Mexican people." The magazine also reported that Pratt opposes immigration raids targeting construction supply stores like Home Depot or restaurants.
Pratt, who gained fame as a villain on MTV's "The Hills," entered local politics after losing his home in the Pacific Palisades fires last year. He has accused incumbent Mayor Karen Bass of exploiting "ICE chaos" to boost her poll numbers. In a social media post after launching his campaign in January, he stated, "the way you keep ICE out of L.A. is by enforcing the law, not defying it."
Political Affiliation
Although registered as a Republican, Pratt has tried to distance himself from party labels, telling NBC, "I do not represent a party ... There's no political party backing me." However, he received a soft endorsement from President Donald Trump, who said he'd "like to see him do well" because Pratt is reportedly a "big MAGA person."
Controversial Homelessness Remarks
Pratt's campaign, which promises a new "golden age" for Los Angeles, takes a hard line on homelessness. He attributes the issue to drug addiction and lack of mental health resources rather than affordable housing shortages. In an interview with ABC 7 Los Angeles, he claimed that people living on the streets are "not homeless, they're drug addicts" who were "bused in" by rehabilitation centers and nonprofits he called "scams."
"They are choosing to be on the street because they want to do drugs, they don't want rules, they want to have animals to abuse," Pratt told reporter Josh Haskell. "This idea that they're forced on the street right now is a lie that our city is perpetuating."
Proposed Solutions
Pratt's platform includes building a mega-treatment facility on "beautiful" federally owned land using federal funds. He has also suggested shipping Los Angeles' homeless population north to Seattle, where he joked that Mayor Katie Wilson, a democratic socialist, would "welcome them."
