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In an emotional and defiant speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy U.S. military forces to Los Angeles and accused the administration of using immigrants as scapegoats for authoritarian ambitions.
Padilla’s remarks came days after he was forcibly removed and handcuffed at a press conference hosted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, where he attempted to question her about the federal military presence in California.
“I refuse to let immigrants be political pawns on his path toward fascism,” Padilla said, choking up as he described being taken to the ground and detained.
It was Padilla’s first Senate floor speech since the high-profile incident, which was captured on video and widely circulated online.
Clash at the Briefing
The confrontation occurred on June 12 in Los Angeles as tensions flared over Trump’s decision to send 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to the city. The move came amid multi-day protests over ICE raids targeting undocumented day laborers at Home Depots, and was opposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Padilla said he was scheduled to meet with Gen. Gregory M. Guillot of U.S. Northern Command but was delayed by a press briefing across the hall. After asking to attend, he was escorted into the room by a National Guard member and an FBI agent.
“They opened the door for me,” Padilla said.
But as he tried to question Noem following remarks he described as a “mission statement to liberate the city from socialists,” Padilla was physically restrained by four law enforcement officers despite identifying himself as a U.S. senator.
“I was forced to the ground, first on my knees, and then flat on my chest,” he recalled. “If a United States senator becomes too afraid to speak up, how can we expect any other American to do the same?”
Mounting Arrests and Escalations
Padilla’s detention is the latest flashpoint in a growing confrontation between Democratic lawmakers and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and civil liberties.
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In New York, ICE arrested Brad Lander, the city comptroller and a mayoral candidate, while he was accompanying an immigrant to court.
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A House Democrat from New Jersey faces federal charges for allegedly shoving officers while protesting a detention center.
The Department of Homeland Security defended the arrests, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin saying, “No one is above the law, and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequences.”
Padilla has denied any physical confrontation, and video footage confirms he was not aggressive toward Noem. Despite this, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called for a Senate censure, accusing Padilla of “charging” at the secretary.
“I think that behavior, at a minimum, rises to the level of censure,” Johnson said.
Military Deployment Sparks Legal, Political Pushback
Trump’s deployment of troops came without the consent of California leadership and is being challenged in federal court. A Tuesday hearing considered whether the president unlawfully took control of the state’s National Guard.
Padilla, who chairs a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration policy, warned that the military’s presence in California reflects a broader shift toward authoritarianism.
“He wants the spectacle,” Padilla said of Trump. “To justify his undemocratic crackdown and his authoritarian power grab.”
Noem later met briefly with Padilla, who said he voiced concerns about “needless escalation” and the administration’s lack of accountability. “The Secretary did not provide any meaningful answers,” Padilla’s office reported.
Democratic Support Rallies Around Padilla
Senate Democrats have rallied around Padilla, praising him for standing up against what they view as unconstitutional overreach. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) praised the speech as a “wake-up call.”
“It was basically a strong plea for America to regain the gyroscope of democracy,” Schumer said. “And now we’re losing it.”
As ICE raids expand to cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, Padilla warned that the nation is at a dangerous inflection point.
“Are we truly prepared to live in a country where the president can deploy the armed forces to decide which duly elected governors and mayors should be allowed to lead?” he asked. “That cannot be the mission of federal law enforcement and the United States military.”
The fallout from Padilla’s detention and the broader militarization of immigration enforcement may shape the national conversation heading into the 2026 midterms and beyond.
