Sen. Padilla Removed from DHS Secretary Noem's Press Conference
Incident raises questions about treatment of elected officials
Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security news conference in Los Angeles last week. The incident occurred as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was speaking about immigration enforcement actions in the city. Padilla attempted to ask questions before being escorted out of the room despite identifying himself as a U.S. Senator.
The removal prompted reactions from lawmakers across party lines. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski described the incident as "horrible" and "not the America I know." Secretary Noem later stated she wished the Senator had identified himself beforehand, though Padilla noted he was wearing attire with "United States Senate" visible and was escorted into the room by federal officials.
KEY POINTS
- •Senator forcibly removed from briefing
- •Incident occurred during immigration event
- •Bipartisan concern over treatment
The press conference took place amid ongoing immigration enforcement operations and protests in Los Angeles. President Trump had previously deployed National Guard troops and Marines to the city, overriding California Governor Gavin Newsom's authority. Protests against the administration's immigration policies occurred in Los Angeles and approximately 2,000 other cities nationwide.
Padilla expressed concern about the implications of his treatment for others without his official status. In a Sunday interview on "Face the Nation," he questioned the administration's justification for federalizing the National Guard and sought data on deportation priorities. Padilla indicated he had been scheduled for a separate briefing with the same officials but attended Noem's event when his meeting was delayed.
Following the incident, Noem told reporters that she and Padilla met privately and had what she characterized as a "very productive" conversation. The Senator had specifically wanted to ask about deportation statistics and the administration's targeting priorities, stating that Noem "had no data, had no answer" during their subsequent meeting but promised to follow up with the requested information.