 "US Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is held down on the floor before being handcuffed by security officers after he attempted to ask a question during US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference, in Los Angeles, California, US, June 12, 2025, in this still image obtained from a video. Office of the Senator Alex Padilla via Reuters")
A political firestorm in the United States has erupted following the forcible removal and handcuffing of Democratic Senator Alex Padilla during a press conference led by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles last Thursday (June 12, 2025).
The incident, captured on video and widely shared, has drawn fierce reactions from both parties and fuelled an already volatile national debate around immigration enforcement and democratic norms under Donald Trump’s administration.
How the incident unfolded
According to Padilla, he had initially arrived at a federal building in Los Angeles for a scheduled briefing with representatives from US Northern Command. Upon learning that Noem was hosting a press conference nearby, he asked to listen in.
He was then escorted into the room by a member of the National Guard and an FBI agent, where he remained until he attempted to ask a question.
Video footage from the incident shows Padilla identifying himself as a US Senator before approaching the podium. “I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” he can be heard saying.
Moments later, he was confronted by security officers, pushed to the ground, and handcuffed. As the officers moved in, Padilla said, “Hands off.”
Padilla, who represents California and is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s immigration panel, said on CNN’s State of the Union that, “They opened the door for me, and they stood next to me while I was listening for the entire time. And then, of course, once I was forcibly removed and handcuffed.”
How the DHS has responded to the incident
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quickly issued a statement on X, describing Padilla’s action as “disrespectful political theater,” and claimed that the Secret Service had perceived him as a potential attacker.
“@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately,” DHS stated, adding that Noem later met with Padilla.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also defended the response by federal agents. “The senator in question was not wearing a security pin and physically resisted law enforcement when confronted,” Bongino wrote.
“Our FBI personnel acted completely appropriately while assisting Secret Service.” However, Padilla strongly disputed this characterisation.
“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 farmers, to cooks, to day-laborers throughout the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country,” he said in a separate statement.
In response to the DHS narrative, Padilla’s fellow Californian Senator Adam Schiff said on NBC’s Meet the Press, “This is not some rabble-rouser. And to see him mistreated that way and tackled to the ground and shackled that way and in the midst of what we’re seeing more broadly in Los Angeles is just atrocious.”
How lawmakers reacted across party lines
The incident has sharply divided lawmakers. Democrats were quick to condemn what they called an overreach of federal authority and a dangerous escalation of tactics against public officials.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the footage “reeks of totalitarianism,” while Senator Patty Murray of Washington remarked, “I cannot believe that we don’t have senators on both sides of the aisle calling this out as outrageous.”
“This is the stuff of dictatorships. It is actually happening,” said Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii. Senator Cory Booker called it “a pattern and a practice,” linking the event to earlier incidents involving other Democratic officials.
Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland declared, “This is what a dictatorship looks like. We have to stand up.”
His colleague from New Jersey, Senator Andy Kim, pleaded with Republicans: “This is not a time to put your finger up in the air and figure out which way the wind is blowing…”
Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angela Alsobrooks called for an investigation into the handling of the event, with Alsobrooks saying she was “so angry she was shaking.”
Senator Tim Kaine waved a pocket Constitution on the Senate floor, claiming the administration is attempting to instill fear in elected officials.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also condemned the incident, describing it as “shocking at every level.” She added, “Senator Padilla is a big, tall guy, and to see how he was handled out of that room is wrong and sick.”
Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she saw the video and found it “disturbing,” remarking that it was “hard to imagine a justification for that.”
In contrast, several Republicans defended the administration’s handling. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming criticised Padilla for being absent from Senate votes. “He has a responsibility to his constituents to show up at work, not to go try to make a spectacle of himself,” he said.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said, “I think that that behaviour at a minimum rises to the level of a censure,” while Senator Rand Paul opposed any such move. “No, no, no. I’m not for censuring him. I think that’s crazy. I’m not for that at all,” Paul said on Meet the Press.
Why this incident has become a flashpoint
The press conference itself was held against a tense backdrop. Los Angeles has witnessed days of mass protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown, which included the deployment of National Guard troops and US Marines to enforce order and protect federal buildings.
During the press conference, Noem had stated that federal agents were in Los Angeles “to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country,” referring to California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The forceful removal of Padilla has only amplified existing concerns among Democrats who view Trump’s administration as increasingly authoritarian.
According to Axios, Senate Democrats led by Padilla have since demanded that all federal military forces be withdrawn from Los Angeles.
“This administration will stop at nothing to keep elected officials from doing our jobs and demanding accountability for our constituents,” said US Representative LaMonica McIver, who herself had previously been charged for resisting officers during a similar federal operation.
The Padilla incident is not isolated. It follows the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at an immigration centre and the criminal charging of a Wisconsin judge who allegedly assisted a defendant in evading federal immigration officers.
Both cases have been cited by Democrats as part of a broader trend of suppressing political dissent.
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware said she showed the video to several colleagues, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who reportedly appeared “shocked.”
Thune later said he spoke with Padilla and the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and was working to gather more information.
“This is a test. This is a crossroads. This is a day in which the character of this body will be defined,” said Booker during a Senate floor speech. Murray added that it was the closest she had come to tearing up in her 32-year Senate career.
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With inputs from agencies