California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla was manhandled by what gave the impression to be a regulation enforcement officer on Thursday after he tried to ask Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem a query at a information convention.
Video exhibits two males, one among whom appeared to be carrying a regulation enforcement badge, forcibly pushing Padilla out of the information convention the place Noem was defending President Donald Trump’s use of the navy to quell protests in Los Angeles in opposition to the administration’s ruthless deportation marketing campaign.
Padilla—who recognized himself as a U.S. senator as he requested concerning the administration’s immigration enforcement insurance policies—was finally pushed out of the room and delivered to 2 FBI brokers outdoors of the room the place the information convention was being held.
It wasn’t instantly clear whether or not Padilla was arrested, however video exhibits the Mexican American senator was handcuffed and compelled to the bottom.
Padilla’s workplace launched a assertion shortly after the incident.
“Senator Padilla is currently in Los Angeles exercising his duty to perform Congressional oversight of the federal government’s operations in Los Angeles and across California,” the assertion stated. “He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary 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. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get more information.”
The Division of Homeland Safety tweeted in response to the fast backlash over the senator’s remedy and claimed it was all a scary misunderstanding.
“Senator 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 tweet stated. “Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. @SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting.”
The scuffle is the most recent occasion during which the Trump administration has sicced regulation enforcement officers on Democratic lawmakers looking for solutions concerning the remedy of immigrants.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested in Could when he tried to go to an ICE detention facility in his house state of New Jersey. Prices in opposition to Baraka, filed by Trump’s former private attorney-turned-acting U.S. lawyer for New Jersey, had been later dropped, and Baraka is now suing Alina Habba for false arrest.
And New Jersey Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted on expenses of allegedly impeding immigration officers throughout the identical ICE detention facility go to the place Baraka was arrested—an occasion the place the Trump administration made good on its risk to attempt to jail the Democratic lawmakers who had been finishing up their constitutionally protected obligation of conducting oversight.
However the remedy of Padilla—who was merely asking a query at a public occasion—is a scary escalation of the Trump administration’s authoritarian actions.
“.@SenAlexPadilla is one of the most decent people I know. This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now,” California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom stated in a publish on X.
For regulation enforcement to deal with a sitting U.S. senator like that, in broad daylight with cameras on them, is a worrying signal for the remedy common People may obtain when exercising their First Modification proper to criticize their authorities.
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“They cannot deal with dissent of any kind,” California Democratic Rep. Mark Takano wrote in a publish on X. “They will rough up citizens, protesters, even U.S. Senators.”
We’re in uncharted territory—and never in a great way.
Editor’s word: This story has been up to date to incorporate statements from Padilla’s workplace and the Division of Homeland Safety.
