Sen. Padilla Forcibly Removed From DHS Secretary Noem's Conference In LA

LOS ANGELES, CA — U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) was forcibly removed from a press conference and handcuffed after he tried to confront and question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday.

Video footage circulating online shows Padilla attempting to address Noem as several men grab him and pull him out of the room.

"I'm Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary," he can be heard saying.

The senator tries to resist multiple men as they grab him, as Padilla yells, "Hands off!"

Another video shows that he was reportedly forced to the ground and handcuffed.

Padilla addressed the incident on Thursday afternoon at a news briefing, telling reporters that he was handcuffed but not arrested.

"If this is how this administration responds to a question...I can only imagine what they're doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers throughout the Los Angeles Community, and throughout California and throughout the country," Padilla said on Thursday afternoon at a news briefing. "We will hold this administration accountable."

Senator Padilla’s office sends me this video of his take-down and detention at Sec. Noem’s press conference in L.A. pic.twitter.com/RLUVYP1Jsb
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 12, 2025

Noem, who called a press conference in LA on Thursday, oversees the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents that have descended on the Southland in recent days.

“We are not going away," Noem said Thursday, speaking over Padilla. "We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and mayor have placed on this country and what they’ve tried to insert in this city."

Noem told a reporter, "I don't even know the senator," when questioned on Padilla. She added that she would speak to him after the conference.

Patch reached out to Padilla's office to request a comment from the senator. His office initially released the following statement:

“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. 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 additional information.”

Fellow Democrats swiftly condemned Padilla's removal.

"Forcibly removing a United States Senator from a press conference is disgraceful," Rep. Pete Aguilar wrote on X. "This administration’s chaos and corruption is out of control."

"[Padilla] is one of the most decent people I know," Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X shortly after the incident. "This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now."

"If they can handcuff a U.S. Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you," the governor later added on Instagram.

The news comes as disruptive immigration enforcement raids and those protesting them roil Los Angeles County. Padilla said this week that the blame for the unrest in LA falls on President Donald Trump for his deployment of military officers to the city against the wishes of California leadership.

“Donald Trump created this chaos," Padilla said in a statement on Wednesday. "He inflamed this violence. And he did it intentionally. He sent federal agents in to terrorize communities, and then turned around and blamed state and local leaders for the very chaos that he unleashed."

The senator has also urged residents to protest peacefully.

“Proud to have been born and raised in Los Angeles, and I can tell you that Angelenos have a long history of speaking up for ourselves — for our communities and for the vulnerable in our community," he said.

READ MORE ABOUT UNREST IN LOS ANGELES:

Long Beach, Paramount Men Charged With Possessing Molotov Cocktail During LA Protests

Despite Calm, Protesters Arrested In Police Crackdown

Scenes Of 'Fear And Panic' Prompt Southland Mayors Call For ICE, Soldiers To Get Out

Curfew, Aggressive LAPD Tactics Thin Demonstrations As ICE Raids Spread

War of Words Over ICE Enforcement Continues Between CA, DC Officials

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