Senator Padilla Forcefully Removed from News Conference

Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla was forcefully removed from a news conference in Los Angeles featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The incident occurred as Padilla attempted to raise questions about immigration raids that have sparked protests across California and the nation. Video footage captured a Secret Service agent from Noem’s security detail grabbing Padilla by his jacket and forcibly removing him from the room as he tried to speak during the event. Padilla shouted, “I’m Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” before being pushed out of the room. Outside, he was seen scuffling with officers, shouting, “Hands off!” and was eventually handcuffed and pushed to the ground in a hallway, with several officers on top of him.

The incident sparked immediate outrage from Padilla’s Democratic colleagues, who demanded an investigation and characterized the episode as a threat to democracy. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer expressed his disgust, stating, “We need immediate answers to what the hell went on. It’s despicable, it’s disgusting, it’s so un-American.” The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement claiming that Padilla chose “disrespectful political theater” and that the Secret Service thought he was an attacker. The statement erroneously claimed that Padilla did not identify himself, despite video evidence showing him doing so as he was being removed.

Padilla, who is the son of immigrants from Mexico, has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. He stated that he was removed while seeking answers about the administration’s “increasingly extreme immigration enforcement actions.” Padilla and his colleagues had received little to no response to their questions in recent weeks, prompting him to attend the briefing for more information. He expressed concern about the treatment of immigrants and the broader community, stating, “If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question … I can only imagine what they are doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers throughout the Los Angeles community, and throughout California and throughout the country.”

Noem, in a post-event interview, described her conversation with Padilla as “great” but criticized his approach as inappropriate. The White House accused Padilla of grandstanding, stating that he sought attention rather than answers. Padilla’s removal came amid rising tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had warned that “democracy is under assault before our eyes.”

Democratic senators gathered in the chamber to denounce the treatment of their colleague, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., stating that the country was “looking more and more like a fascist state.” Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., called for Noem’s resignation, while House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused Padilla of inappropriate behavior and suggested that it warranted a censure. Senate Republican leader John Thune expressed his intention to gather all relevant information about the incident, while Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming criticized Padilla for not being at work in Washington.

The incident highlights the increasing episodes of encroachment on Congress’s authority by the Trump administration, which is exerting its executive powers in untested ways. Lawmakers are responsible for providing oversight of the administration, its agencies, and actions, and several have been surveying the treatment of immigrants and others being detained as part of the administration’s mass deportation operation. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called the incident “un-American” and demanded accountability from those involved, stating that the Trump administration’s behavior must change.