Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) addressed his forced removal from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Padilla said he was near the area where the press conference was held when he decided to attend because he had been asking the Department of Homeland Security for “more information and more answers” on its “increasingly extreme immigration enforcement actions.”
Video shows the California Democrat approaching Noem as she was speaking, with security already wrestling with the senator as he began, “Madam Secretary, I want to know why you insist on exaggerating and embellishing—” before being pushed back toward the exit. Padilla can be seen resisting these efforts.
As security wrestled with the senator, who was still attempting to move in Noem’s direction, Padilla told them to take their hands off of him, identifying himself and saying he was there to ask questions before being pushed through the doors and into the hallway outside, where footage showed him being brought to the ground and cuffed.
Despite Padilla identifying himself, it is possible officials at the press conference either did not recognize the senator or hear him over Noem speaking.
Padilla said after the incident, “If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a senator asking a question, you can only imagine what they are doing to farmers, to cooks, to day laborers throughout Los Angeles, throughout California, and throughout the country.”
“We will hold this administration accountable,” he added.
Padilla noted he was not arrested but was placed in handcuffs after his removal from the press conference.
In a statement, the DHS said, “Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem. Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. [Secret Service] thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) addressed Padilla on the Senate floor, saying the footage of the incident made him sick.
“Sen. Padilla was exercising his duty as a senator for his constituents to try and find out what happened. And instead he gets manhandled, thrown out of the room, thrown on the ground and handcuffed,” Schumer said. “We need a full investigation immediately as to what happened.”
ALEX PADILLA FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM NOEM PRESS CONFERENCE IN CALIFORNIA
“It’s despicable. It’s disgusting. It is so un-American, so un-American, and we need answers. We need answers immediately,” Schumer continued.
Noem was in Los Angeles to address protests that began over a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. The majority of the protests have been peaceful, but some grew chaotic over the weekend.
