Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday while attempting to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. During the incident, several plainclothes individuals, later identified as federal agents, pushed Padilla out of the room, leading to a confrontation that saw him taken to the ground and handcuffed. His office stated he was in L.A. for congressional oversight regarding governmental operations and attempted to ask Noem a question during her briefing on ongoing protests against President Trump’s immigration policies.
Following the incident, Padilla was released and is no longer detained. The video footage released by his office depicted the aggressive removal. The altercation drew swift condemnation from fellow politicians. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed outrage on the Senate floor, demanding clarification on the circumstances. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) echoed similar sentiments, defending Padilla’s right to question government officials and calling the actions of DHS agents disgraceful.
California Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the incident as “outrageous and dictatorial,” further critiquing what he perceived as uncontrolled actions from the Trump administration’s agents. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which Padilla is a member, termed the incident “unacceptable” and demanded an investigation. This event adds to a pattern of confrontations involving Democratic officials related to immigration, including recent arrests of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), both concerning similar issues with law enforcement over immigration policy. The situation underscores growing tensions surrounding Trump’s immigration actions and the protests they have sparked nationwide.
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