Senator Alex Padilla from California made headlines this week after he was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles. The incident occurred last Thursday when Padilla attended a press briefing led by Secretary Kristi Noem, who was discussing the Trump administration’s response to ongoing immigration protests in the city.
Padilla had been in the same federal building for a meeting when he decided to join the press conference. He was escorted in by FBI and National Guard officials. However, as he attempted to question Noem, he was grabbed by security personnel and removed from the room. In a dramatic recounting of the event, Padilla described how he struggled to maintain his balance as he was pushed to the ground, handcuffed, and led away while asking why he was being detained. "Not once did they tell me why," he said, expressing deep concern about the treatment he received.
The Department of Homeland Security initially accused Padilla of engaging in "disrespectful political theatre," claiming he did not comply with requests to step back. Noem later stated that she and Padilla had a conversation after the scuffle.
In his first remarks on the Senate floor since the incident, Padilla called the experience a turning point in what he characterized as an "undemocratic crackdown" on protests by the Trump administration. He highlighted a troubling statement made by Noem, where she suggested that federal law enforcement and military efforts were aimed at "liberating" Los Angeles from its elected leaders. Padilla denounced this remark as "un-American."
During his speech, which lasted about 20 minutes, Padilla urged his colleagues to resist what he sees as an unfair targeting of Democratic-led regions by the Trump administration. He emphasized the importance of citizens standing up for their rights and warned that if the President could deploy military forces without justification in Los Angeles, he could do so anywhere in the country.
Padilla, who is the son of Mexican immigrants and the first Latino senator from California, expressed that his experience should serve as a wake-up call for Americans. He stressed that the responsibility to protect democracy lies with the people themselves, stating, "No one will redeem America but Americans."
The event drew attention not just from Padilla’s Democratic colleagues but also from several Senate Republicans, indicating a broader concern about the implications of the incident for civil liberties and the use of federal power.