California Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed and handcuffed on the ground Thursday at a press conference led by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Video shared online showed Padilla being wrangled by FBI police officers at the Los Angeles press conference intended to address the ongoing protests of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions in the state.

“I am Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” Padilla said to Noem, after the police officers stopped him from advanced. The law enforcement officers then physically pushed him out of the room.

Another video showed Padilla being forced to the ground outside the room and handcuffed.

Padilla later addressed his removal, saying he found out Noem was delivering remarks in the same building he was holding a meeting. He wanted to see if he could learn “any new additional information,” Padilla said.

The senator said he was there peacefully and was expressing his First Amendment right.

“I will say this, if this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they’re doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country,” he said.

DHS, Noem respond to Padilla

DHS said online that Padilla was “repeatedly” told to back away and Secret Service thought he was an attacker.

“Sen. Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem,” the department said.

DHS said Padilla and Noem met and held a 15-minute meeting.

Noem later addressed the incident on The Story with Martha MacCallum on Fox News, saying “a man burst into the room started lunging towards the podium, interrupting me and elevating his voice.” Once he identified himself, “appropriate actions were taken,” she said.

Noem was in Los Angeles to address the multiday protests in the city opposing the Trump administration’s immigration policies and ongoing ICE detentions. Her press conference came just days after President Donald Trump ordered several thousand California National Guard members to assist in protecting federal workers and property, marking a significant escalation in demonstrations in the city.

Democrats defend Padilla

California Democrats quickly gathered on Thursday at the U.S. Capitol and were outraged to see their colleague in handcuffs. They demanded an investigation into what happened.

“This is what Russia looks like, this is what China looks like. He’s not even the first member of Congress to be arrested under this Trump term, and so Californians are gathering right now,” Rep. Eric Swalwell said.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was not only an assault on Padilla, but an “assault on freedom of speech in our country.”

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., is pushed out of the room as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference regarding the recent protests in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 12, 2025. | Etienne Laurent, Associated Press

Rep. Jimmy Gomez argued the Trump administration is operating “outside the bounds” of the law, courts, custom and practice.

“He will not stop in just Los Angeles,” Gomez said. “And if people think that it’s only in California, they are mistaken.”

Padilla’s fellow senator, Sen. Adam Schiff, called it an “assault on our democracy.”

Republicans say Padilla was to blame

Republicans said Padilla should not have charged at Noem.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he believes Padilla’s actions were “wildly inappropriate” and beneath a member of Congress.

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“We have to turn the temperature down in this country and not escalate it,” he said. “The Democrat Party is on the wrong side, they are defending lawbreakers, and now they are acting like lawbreakers themselves.”

Johnson also said “at the bare minimum” that he thinks Padilla should be censured over what occurred.

The White House argued Padilla “stormed” the press conference without wearing his Senate pin or “previously identifying himself to security.”

“Padilla didn’t want answers; he wanted attention. Padilla embarrassed himself and his constituents with this immature, theater-kid stunt — but it’s telling that Democrats are more riled up about Padilla than they are about the violent riots and assaults on law enforcement in LA,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to the Deseret News.

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