Democrat Senator Handcuffed By Security After Disrupting Noem Presser In Los Angeles
California Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed and briefly handcuffed by security Thursday after interrupting a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles. The incident, captured on multiple cameras, has ignited a firestorm in Washington.
BREAKING: California Democratic Senator @AlexPadilla4CA just crashed DHS Secretary Noem’s press conference in LA and was forcibly removed. pic.twitter.com/Q2sUWiImAM
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 12, 2025
Padilla approached the podium mid-event and shouted, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary!” before being intercepted by federal agents. According to witnesses, Padilla resisted efforts to de-escalate and was tackled to the ground outside the conference room, restrained, and escorted out in cuffs.
Senator Padilla’s office sends me this video of his take-down and detention at Sec. Noem’s press conference in L.A. pic.twitter.com/RLUVYP1Jsb
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 12, 2025
The event was organized to address the federal crackdown on violent anti-ICE protests that have roiled the city, prompting the deployment of over 4,000 National Guard troops and Marines.
Padilla later called the incident “authoritarian,” warning that if a sitting U.S. senator could be treated this way, the federal response toward ordinary citizens must be even more alarming. He accused the administration of weaponizing immigration enforcement and silencing dissent.
Democrat leaders rushed to Padilla’s defense. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the arrest “disgraceful and un-American.” Elizabeth Warren demanded an investigation. Cory Booker warned it could set a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.
Noem’s office pushed back, claiming Padilla ignored repeated instructions to step back, failed to properly identify himself, and was perceived as a security threat. The two met privately for a brief closed-door conversation later in the day, though Noem did not offer an apology. “He made a scene,” she said. “There’s a time and place for everything. That wasn’t it.”
The moment adds another layer of tension to an already volatile situation in Los Angeles, where the Trump administration has taken a hardline stance on illegal immigration, and progressive leaders have attempted to frame the federal response as a civil rights crisis.
Padilla’s removal now becomes the latest flashpoint in the larger national debate: law and order versus protest and resistance—and whether political theater has overtaken legitimate policy debate.