Several Democratic lawmakers marched to Senate Majority Leader John Thune‘s (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson‘s (R-LA) offices after Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) was wrestled out of a Department of Homeland Security press briefing and handcuffed Thursday.
Padilla’s detainment, which came after he interrupted a press conference given by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, immediately lit a partisan fuse in Congress, with Johnson saying the “behavior, at a minimum, rises to the level of a censure.”
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.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) posted on X, “The brutal handcuffing of Senator Padilla is an affront to democracy. I’m joining House Democrats to march to Senator Thune’s office and to demand that he protect his Colleagues from this out-of-control authoritarian onslaught.”
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) said Thune was not in his office at the time, noting that his staff had not provided a time for his return.
The brutal handcuffing of Senator Padilla is an affront to democracy. I’m joining House Democrats to march to Senator Thune’s office and to demand that he protect his Colleagues from this out-of-control authoritarian onslaught. pic.twitter.com/G8zl8NvKJd
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) June 12, 2025
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) wrote, “We are marching to Senator Thune’s office. There must be accountability for the detainment of a Senator. This is not normal.”
Johnson called Padilla’s actions “highly inappropriate,” adding that “we have to turn the temperature down. We need to be on the side of the rule of law.”
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), speaking outside Johnson’s office, said the Congressional Hispanic Caucus had “grave concerns when the speaker of the House refers to a sitting member of the U.S. Senate who simply tried to exercise his First Amendment rights as acting like a ‘thug.’”
The “thug” comments come after Johnson was speaking to reporters and House Democrats yelled at him, shouting “lies.” At one point, Johnson said, “I think the American people can draw their own conclusions. They saw a senator acting like a —”
One Democrat yelled, “Like a thug?” Johnson didn’t answer and instead went on to say his actions were “beneath a member of Congress.”
Espaillat said, “We need to speak to him about that,” and added that “the weaponization of immigration has taken us to a place in America where we’ve never been before, so divided, so split, so violent and aggressive.”
PADILLA RESPONDS TO REMOVAL FROM NOEM PRESS CONFERENCE: ‘WE WILL HOLD THIS ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE’
“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is united behind Sen. Padilla, along with other members of the House and Senate, and we will not let this go,” he continued.
Asked about Johnson’s comments on censuring Padilla, McGovern said, “I’m afraid to respond to that. … Speaker Johnson needs to grow a set of balls and stand up to the White House.”
