Senator Forcibly Removed From Noem Press Conference

DHS claims Alex Padilla 'lunged' at Noem
Posted Jun 12, 2025 3:00 PM CDT

A Democratic senator from California was forcibly removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday and placed in handcuffs. Video posted on X shows men restraining Sen. Alex Padilla after he interrupted the press conference, the Hill reports. Padilla, the state's senior senator, could be heard saying, "I'm Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary," as he took a few steps toward the podium. In a post on X, the Department of Homeland Security said that Padilla "lunged" at Noem and that Secret Service officers "acted appropriately" because they thought he was an attacker.

"When I leave here I'll have a conversation with him, but I think everyone would agree that wasn't appropriate," Noem said. Padilla's office said he was in the federal building to receive a briefing on National Guard operations and was listening to Noem's press conference. He "tried to ask the Secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed," his office said, per NBC Los Angeles. DHS said Noem held a 15-minute meeting with Padilla after the confrontation.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the way Padilla was treated was "abhorrent and outrageous." His fellow Democrats in Congress also spoke out, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal calling video of the incident "utterly revolting," the AP reports. "Anyone who assaulted the Senator should be held accountable," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. "No one is above the law." During the press conference, Noem said that immigration raids in Los Angeles would continue despite protests and that the agents carrying out enforcement are "putting together a model and a blueprint" for raids in other communities. (More Kristi Noem stories.)

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