Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) was forcibly removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles on Thursday.
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.
Responding to a question from a reporter about Padilla, Noem claimed that “he did not request a meeting with me, or just speak with me. So when I leave here, I’ll have a conversation with him and visit and find out really what his concerns were.”
“I think everybody in America would agree that that wasn’t appropriate, that if you wanted to have a civil discussion, especially as a leader, a public official, that you would reach out and try to have a conversation,” she said, adding, “I’ll visit with the senator and find out what his concerns are.”
Padilla’s office said in a press release sent out shortly after the incident that the senator is not currently detained, and that they are working on getting more information.
“Senator Padilla is currently in Los Angeles exercising his duty to perform Congressional oversight of the federal government’s operations in Los Angeles and across California,” a statement from the senator’s office read. “He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem’s press conference. He tried to ask the Secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed.”
The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement regarding Padilla’s removal that the Democrat chose “disrespectful political theatre,” and interrupted the press conference “without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem.”
The Department continued, “Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. @SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting.”
In response to Padilla’s removal, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) called the senator “one of the most decent people I know.”
“This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control,” the governor said. “This must end now.”
Padilla was present and voting in the Senate this week until Thursday.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said Padilla’s removal is “what Russia looks like, this is what China looks like.”
Padilla’s Senate colleagues, who had just wrapped a series of votes in Washington as the first videos and images of the event began to surface, offered mixed reactions. Democrats were widely furious and vehemently condemned the encounter. Some Republicans also expressed dismay, but others suggested Padilla sought a made-for-TV moment and chastised him for missing Senate votes.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) called on Senate Republicans to condemn the incident, calling it “absolutely terrifying.”
“And if Republicans in the Senate don’t condemn this loudly, we are losing our democracy,” Murphy told the Washington Examiner. “I mean, this is the end. We’re watching the end of democracy. And you guys have a job to do. Everybody has a job to do right now.”
Murphy declined to entertain questions on other subjects.
He continued, “The only thing that matters right now is that there’s a United States senator in handcuffs because he was doing his job.”
Multiple senators are trying to contact Padilla, including Murphy, who said, “It’s hard to be on the phone when you’re in handcuffs.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) called the moment “sick.”
“To see how he was handled out of that room is wrong. It’s sick,” she told reporters on Capitol Hill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said he is looking to get “facts and find out exactly what happened,” and noted that “obviously, we will have a response.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) implied that Padilla was seeking a viral moment, telling reporters that he “got what he wanted. He’s on video.”
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), in reaction to the video, said, “He’s in California today, when we’re voting in the United States Senate on important legislation for the country. He’s not here. Is that right?”
When asked if he had seen the video, Barrasso deflected and asked reporters if they had seen the video of golfer Rory McIlroy’s drive earlier Thursday morning at the U.S. Open.
“Somebody said this video has been out like, what, 30 minutes?, Barrasso remarked, “Do you think most senators have seen it? I’m sure the Democrats have.”
Noem was in Los Angeles addressing protests over a series of sweeps executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The majority of the demonstrations have been peaceful, but some became chaotic over the weekend.
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President Donald Trump deployed roughly 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to the city. Newsom filed a lawsuit to stop troops from coming to California.
On Tuesday, an overnight curfew was imposed in a square-mile radius of the protest area. Protests have reduced in size since.
Rachel Schilke contributed to this report.
