Villaraigosa has served as the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which has passed resolutions calling for comprehensive immigration legislation. He’ll give a speech on immigration later this week, when the bipartisan group meets for its winter conference in Washington.

Villaraigosa is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. A co-author of an assault-weapons ban in California, he criticized those who he says put the interests of the National Rifle Association before the safety of the American people.

“It’s an abomination that we don’t have an assault weapons ban,” he said.

Speculation has risen that Villaraigosa is being considered for secretary of transportation, but supporters such as Janet Murguia, the president of the National Council of La Raza, said he’d also be a good choice for secretary of commerce or labor.

“There is no question that he’s in the mix of potential individuals who are being considered for the Cabinet,” she said. “Maybe he’s here for an interview. We don’t know that, but it would be hard to imagine that he wouldn’t be a natural for one of the Cabinet positions.”

Villaraigosa acknowledges his hope to stay in public office, but he’s coy whether that may mean a run for governor or joining Obama’s Cabinet.

“I’m not riding off into the sunset just yet,” he said.

When asked if he’d been approached about a Cabinet position, he said he preferred not to talk about his future.

He then he ticked off a list of accomplishments that would look good on a resume, including lowering crime, doubling the number of successful schools and increasing charter schools.