Tensions surrounding immigration enforcement reached a new height on Thursday as U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) was forcibly removed from a press briefing led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a federal building in downtown Los Angeles.
The incident unfolded as Senator Padilla attempted to question Secretary Noem regarding recent immigration operations that have sparked widespread concern in California. Eyewitnesses reported that Padilla identified himself and approached the podium, stating, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary,” before being physically restrained and removed from the room by two unidentified men, reportedly FBI agents.
Footage released by the Senator’s staff showed him being pushed to the ground outside the conference room, prompting immediate backlash and raising questions about the treatment of elected officials during public briefings.
In a statement issued later, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleged that Senator Padilla had “lunged” at Secretary Noem and failed to adhere to established security protocols, including the visible display of his Senate identification pin. Assistant Secretary Trisha McLaughlin defended the agents’ actions, stating that the Secret Service mistook the Senator for a potential threat due to his abrupt approach during the live event.
“The Senator did not follow standard security procedures,” McLaughlin wrote on social media. “He made no formal introduction and his actions were deemed a security breach.”
Despite the confrontation, DHS confirmed that Senator Padilla and Secretary Noem held a 15-minute closed-door meeting following the incident. However, Secretary Noem later characterized the Senator’s conduct as “inappropriate,” claiming that no formal meeting had been scheduled in advance.
The altercation has drawn sharp criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who condemned the federal response as “outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful.”
“This is not just an overreaction—it’s emblematic of a federal administration increasingly hostile to dissent,” Newsom said in a statement. “President Trump’s security forces, whom he treats like political shock troops, are out of control. This must end now.”
The episode underscores the deepening rift between the Biden-appointed congressional delegation from California and the Trump administration’s renewed crackdown on immigration enforcement.
