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.”
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.
Lil’ Alex barged into a room of grown ups demanding to be the center of attention
and got spanked…..
Now he can wrap the cloak of victim and hero around himself!
Some real problems with Tarmo Hannula’s article above:
1. Senator Padilla was not an invited guest or speaker at the indoor DHS news conference that he crashed. Neither was he a journalist with an ID necklace.
2. Senator Padilla did not identify himself when he began to interrupt and blurt out his message. Only afterwards, when Padilla was almost out the door did he blurt out who he was.
3. The Secret Service security team reacted in a standard way in removing a possible threat from the meeting being conducted by Secretary Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
4. Padilla was not handcuffed in the news conference room, but only after resisting the Secret Service and was handcuffed in the hallway. It was clear Padilla wanted the additional drama. Watch the full video.
5. U.S. Senators do not have carte blanche rights to crash and disrupt federal meetings unannounced and not be removed. Unannounced officials who barge into the close proximity of an U.S. Cabinet Secretary will be blocked and removed.
6. Federal oversight duties do not remove the rules of decorum, ethics and common manners required of U.S. Senators. Especially those who barge forward and surprise a U.S. Secretary carrying out her duties.
7. It appears that Senator Padilla knew perfectly well that what he was doing was wrong, and he did it purely for the press coverage and political effect afterwards.
8. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla afterwards, which was not reported. Tarmo Hannula reported only the removal and handcuffing (inaccurately), reaction and outrage. After all, California’s “first Latino U.S. Senator” must be above all norms and decency when barging forward and yelling at the Secretary of Homeland Security in the middle of an indoor press conference. Do you expect the Secret Service to sit on its hands, because this unidentified Senator is special? Must one also believe that all this is part of the Senator’s “oversight” duties?
well said.
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