Democratic Senator Padilla detained, handcuffed by security agents
4 Min Read
US Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed, tackled, and handcuffed by security while attempting to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a press conference in Los Angeles.
-
US Senator Alex Padilla is pushed out of the room as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference regarding the recent in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025. (AP)
Democratic US Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed, tackled to the ground, and handcuffed by security agents after attempting to ask a question during a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Padilla, 52, identified himself and tried to question Noem during her remarks on ongoing protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. "I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary," he said before being escorted out, adding, “Hands off.”
In a statement, Padilla confirmed he was handcuffed and forced to the ground. A video circulating online shows three security agents restraining him.
United States Senator Alex Padilla was representing the millions of Californians who are demanding answers to this Administration's actions in Southern California.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 12, 2025
This is a shameful and stunning abuse of power.pic.twitter.com/ODTNb92JE4
The press conference came amid ongoing demonstrations in Los Angeles against Trump’s immigration policies. The White House has responded by deploying National Guard troops and US Marines to the city to secure federal buildings and support ICE agents.
'Political theater'
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended its actions in a statement on X, accusing Senator Alex Padilla of engaging in “disrespectful political theater.”
"Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. @SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately."
Padilla pushing and shoving law enforcement officers to get his way back to the podium. Incredibly aggressive behavior from a sitting US Senator.
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) June 12, 2025
No one knew who he was. https://t.co/yQ1GVVUF8d pic.twitter.com/80kBU9O8R3
The department added that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later met with Padilla following the incident.
The confrontation sparked bipartisan backlash on Capitol Hill. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski criticized the use of force, "Senator Padilla is a big, tall guy, and to see how he was handled out of that room is wrong and sick,"she told reporters.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the incident in a Senate floor speech, "I just saw something that sickened my stomach - the manhandling of a United States senator."
"We need immediate answers to what the hell went on."
Top Senate Republican John Thune said he would reserve judgment until more details emerged about the Padilla incident. "We will have a response. But I want to get the facts and find out exactly what happened before we make any comments," he said.
Protests over immigration crackdown sweep US as Trump deploys troops
Demonstrations against President Donald Trump's hardline immigration stance continued to spread across the United States on Wednesday, despite federal troop deployments and a warning from the president that authorities would use "heavy force" to maintain order.
Los Angeles, where protests first erupted last Friday, remained tense but relatively quiet following a night under curfew. Authorities reported 25 arrests during overnight enforcement. Armored police units patrolled key downtown zones as businesses boarded up storefronts in anticipation of further unrest.
The protests have largely remained peaceful but were triggered by a sudden increase in operations to detain undocumented migrants. Some scattered incidents of property damage, including attacks on police and the burning of self-driving vehicles, prompted law enforcement to respond with tear gas and other crowd-control measures.
Trump, who won re-election last year with promises to clamp down on illegal immigration, has seized on the unrest to strengthen his position. He ordered the California National Guard into action despite the opposition of Governor Gavin Newsom, marking the first instance in decades of a president overriding a governor's objections to a state-level military deployment.
"If our troops didn't go into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now," Trump wrote on social media Wednesday.
