In an unprecedented event that increases tension between the Trump administration and its opponents, California Senator Alex Padilla was violently removed by force from a press conference held by the Secretary of Homeland Security this Thursday in Los Angeles, after attempting to ask a question to Kristi Noem about her immigration policies.
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After being pushed out of the room by two individuals in civilian clothing, Padilla was forced to lie on the ground by FBI officers and then handcuffed.
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The current director of the FBI is Kash Patel, a staunch supporter of Trump’s policies, an activist who defended the individuals who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and who is making significant changes within the Bureau to align it with the Republican government.
How was the embarrassing incident with Senator Padilla?
Minutes before the altercation, Padilla was receiving a report from military officers inside the same building. Upon learning that Noem was present, he went to the location with the intention of participating. According to his version, he approached the event peacefully and was removed without having shown any violent behavior.
“I was formulating a question when I was forcibly removed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed,” he explained later to the media. The senator questioned the authorities’ reaction: “If this is what they do to a senator, imagine what agricultural workers and day laborers in our communities suffer.”
The official response from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was immediate. Through a statement published on social media X, the DHS falsely claimed that Padilla interrupted the event “without identifying himself” and disobeyed the agents’ orders. According to the agency’s version, the officials acted under the impression that it was a threat, although the video clearly shows Padilla saying several times that he is a senator.
The statement added that, later on, Kristi Noem had a private 15-minute meeting with the senator. Noem also defended the official version with false accusations in a television interview.
During her opening remarks at the press conference, Noem emphasized that DHS operations and the military will remain in Los Angeles. “We are staying here to free this city from socialist and oppressive leadership,” she declared in reference to Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats.
Reactions to Senator Padilla’s arrest
The incident has generated a wave of condemnations from Democratic Party leaders. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, demanded urgent answers and expressed his dismay over the use of force against a sitting senator.
Senator Adam Schiff described the agents’ behavior as “shameful” and assured that Padilla will not be silenced. California Governor Gavin Newsom also reacted harshly, calling the incident “dictatorial and shameful”.
The Hispanic Caucus of Congress, to which Padilla belongs, described the act as “unacceptable” and requested a full investigation, as well as sanctions for those responsible. In addition, Representative Maxwell Frost interrupted a Congressional hearing to demand that Noem be summoned to testify.
From the Republican Party there were also comments. Lindsey Graham, senator from South Carolina, criticized Padilla’s behavior for interrupting the event, although he described him as a “good man”. He added that the California senator’s approach to immigration issues has been weak.
Who is Senator Padilla?
Alex Padilla is a Democratic politician, born on March 22, 1973 in Los Angeles. The son of Mexican immigrant parents, he grew up in Pacoima (San Fernando Valley) and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT in 1994.
Padilla became a senator in 2021, when Governor Gavin Newsom appointed him to replace Kamala Harris’s seat, who had been elected as Vice President of the United States. Prior to that, he served as California’s Secretary of State.
Kristi Noem’s recent controversies
The Secretary of Homeland Security has become one of the most controversial authorities in the Donald Trump administration.
His most recent controversy was a few days ago when he accused the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, of “encouraging violent protests” in Los Angeles following the immigration raids ordered by the government of Donald Trump.
Sheinbaum quickly responded and said that the accusation was “absolutely false.”