L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is calling the MacArthur Park immigration sweep this week what it is — a fear tactic to intimidate residents … and she’s not backing down from fighting for the city’s rights.

We caught up with Bass at L.A. City Hall on Tuesday, and she slammed the horse-mounted federal agents in tactical gear swooping into the park Monday, bolstered by armored vehicles and armed troops … calling it totally inappropriate and nothing less than a political stunt, especially as she notes no one was detained.

Catch the full clip — Karen breaks down the bigger picture of the weeks-long ICE raids … saying they were supposed to target criminals, gang members, and drug dealers — but instead they’re terrorizing innocent people, traumatizing them for life.