In a stunning and chaotic scene that is igniting outrage in Washington, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California was forcibly removed and handcuffed during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference led by Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Padilla, the first Latino senator from California and a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, stood and attempted to question Noem during her remarks about intensifying federal immigration raids. His interruption came after Noem described the federal effort to “liberate” the city from its “socialist leadership.”
“I’m Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” he said, before being shoved out of the room by a Secret Service agent.
Outside the briefing, video captured Padilla on the ground in a hallway, yelling “Hands off!” as officers restrained and handcuffed him. The incident has prompted a firestorm of condemnation from Democrats and reignited debate over the Trump administration’s expanding use of executive power.
Outrage in Congress
Video and images from the encounter spread quickly through Capitol Hill, prompting an immediate and forceful response from top Democrats.
“We need immediate answers to what the hell went on,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). “It’s despicable, it’s disgusting, it’s so un-American.”
Vice President Kamala Harris—whose former Senate seat Padilla now holds—also weighed in, calling the episode “a shameful and stunning abuse of power.”
“He was representing the millions of Californians who are demanding answers,” Harris said.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) warned that Trump’s tactics are making America “look more and more like a fascist state,” and Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) called for Noem’s resignation.
DHS Defends Agents, Misstates Facts
In a statement, DHS claimed the Secret Service “thought he was an attacker,” asserting that Padilla did not identify himself—a claim refuted by video showing him shouting his name and title as he was removed. The department characterized Padilla’s actions as “disrespectful political theater.”
Padilla, visibly shaken afterward, told reporters he was attempting to demand answers about federal immigration raids that have rattled communities across California.
“If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question,” Padilla said, “I can only imagine what they are doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers.”
GOP Response and Partisan Divide
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) criticized Padilla, accusing him of “charging” Noem and suggesting his conduct may warrant censure. “It’s beneath a member of Congress,” Johnson said, drawing shouts of “That’s a lie!” from Democrats nearby.
Meanwhile, Senate Republican Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he was trying to understand the full picture. “We want to get the full scope of what happened,” he said. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) dismissed the incident, saying Padilla “should have been at work in Washington.”
The White House accused Padilla of grandstanding. Press secretary Abigail Jackson claimed, “Padilla didn’t want answers; he wanted attention.”
Broader Context: Federal Raids and Democratic Resistance
The confrontation comes amid a series of escalating immigration enforcement operations ordered by the Trump administration. Earlier this week, Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted for allegedly interfering with immigration officers during a detention protest in New Jersey, where Newark’s mayor was also arrested.
The administration has also been in a public standoff with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who warned earlier this week that “democracy is under assault before our eyes.”
“This is not going to end until there is accountability,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, calling Padilla’s treatment a “frightening example” of authoritarian overreach.
Looking Ahead
Calls for a full investigation are growing, with Democrats demanding accountability from DHS, the Secret Service, and Secretary Noem. Lawmakers say they will continue to pursue oversight of immigration operations, many of which remain shrouded in secrecy.
Padilla has vowed not to be silenced.
“I wasn’t there to cause a scene—I was there because the people I represent are terrified,” he said. “And now, frankly, I am too.”
