Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman, known for his hard stance on crime, is intensifying efforts to bring to justice those who illegally enter the county, ensuring they face full accountability for their actions.
Hochman, who transitioned from the Republican Party to become an Independent, triumphed over the sitting progressive District Attorney George Gascón by an impressive 20-point lead. Many voters perceived Gascón as lenient on criminal activities.
“Here I am, standing on the border between LA County and San Bernardino County, a crossing point where criminals once ventured into LA with the expectation of facing minimal repercussions for theft, robbery, and other criminal activities,” Hochman stated in a video uploaded to his X account on Sunday.
“Times have changed! The fun is over. A new DA was elected. And criminals in LA County will now be prosecuted and held fully accountable for their illegal actions,” he continued.”
Los Angeles District Attorney, Nathan Hochman speaks to the media outside court in Van Nuys, California, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
He also previously served as the president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission and accused Gascón of “catastrophic incompetence” on the campaign trail and vowed to restore order and common sense.
While in office, Gascón survived two recall attempts as voters voiced concern over his policies. He also co-authored the infamous Proposition 47, a 2014 voter-approved measure that downgraded most thefts from felonies to misdemeanors if the amount stolen were under $950, and reclassified some felony drug offenses as misdemeanors.
Despite political differences between voters, public safety is a crossover issue, said Hochman.
“I spoke to ultra-left liberals, independents and conservative Republicans. And it turns out that even though they don’t agree on much, they do agree that making sure that the district attorney prioritizes their safety and implements policies that will hold criminals accountable for their actions in a smart and proportional manner really matters,” he said.
Editor’s note: The headline has been updated to note Hochman was referring to criminals in California, rather than migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
