California Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes a selfie with a group of youths at the Digital NEST in Watsonville in September 2015. — Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian file

Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles Thursday.

Padilla, a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, released the following statement after he was taken out of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles:

“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. 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. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information.”

Later that day, Speaker Robert Rivas said, “I’m outraged and disgusted by the violent treatment of Senator Alex Padilla—a dignified, compassionate public servant who was physically shoved and removed from a Homeland Security discussion while simply doing his job. As California’s first Latino U.S. Senator, he represents millions of us, including families like mine. This assault is not just disrespectful—it’s dangerous. The Trump administration must be held accountable, and the President must issue an immediate public apology.”

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Tarmo Hannula has been the lead photographer with The Pajaronian newspaper in Watsonville since 1997. More recently Good Times & Press Banner. He also reports on a wide range of topics, including police, fire, environment, schools, the arts and events. A fifth generation Californian, Tarmo was born in the Mother Lode of the Sierra (Columbia) and has lived in Santa Cruz County since the late 1970s. He earned a BA from UC Santa Cruz and has traveled to 33 countries.

1 COMMENT

  1. the fact that a US Senator has the RIGHT and OBLIGATION to oversight any federal agency should make it clear to everyone that the secretary of homeland security is , herself, INSECURE about her illegal actions in her job.
    THANK YOU SENATOR PADILLA FOR DOING YOUR JOB! NOEM SHOULD GO BACK TO SOUTH DAKOTA AND GET TRAINED ON HOW TO HANDLE DOGS.

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