Crisis in California: Senator Alex Padilla Handcuffed for Speaking Truth

"Senator Alex Padilla Forcibly Removed by DHS During Immigration Press Conference"

On June 12, 2025, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California was forcibly removed, handcuffed, and briefly detained by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers during a high-profile press conference held by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles.

 The press conference, intended to address recent federal immigration enforcement operations in California, quickly turned confrontational when Padilla attempted to approach the podium and pose a question about the impact of DHS raids on immigrant communities.

 Eyewitnesses reported that Padilla identified himself as a U.S. senator and insisted on speaking, at which point uniformed personnel physically restrained and removed him from the event. The scene, caught on multiple cell phone cameras and livestreams, was widely circulated online and on news networks, sparking national outrage.

Democratic leaders swiftly condemned the incident. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called it "an outrageous and undemocratic attack on a sitting member of the United States Senate," while Vice President Kamala Harris described the use of force as a "blatant abuse of executive authority." California Governor Gavin Newsom said the treatment of Padilla was "authoritarian and completely unacceptable in a democracy."

 Even some Republicans, including Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, expressed concern, saying the incident “crossed a line” and required serious inquiry. However, other GOP members, such as Senator John Barrasso, deflected by criticizing Padilla’s absence from the Senate during key legislative votes.

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement claiming that Padilla “interfered with official proceedings and ignored security protocols,” but also acknowledged that an internal review of the officers’ conduct was underway. 

In response, several Senate committees—including the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees—announced formal investigations to examine whether federal authority was misused and whether Padilla's constitutional rights were violated. Civil liberties organizations, including the ACLU and Human Rights Watch, have also called for accountability and transparency.

This incident has intensified an already heated national debate about immigration policy, the treatment of public officials, and the growing tensions between state and federal authorities in sanctuary states like California. Senator Padilla, who was not injured but described the experience as “deeply troubling and unconstitutional,” vowed to continue advocating for immigrant rights and promised to push for legislative safeguards to prevent similar abuses in the future.

Lawmakers condemn incident

In Washington, California Democrats and Democratic leaders swiftly condemned the “manhandling” of the senator and demanded investigations into the incident.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he was “sickened” by the treatment of Padilla and called for “immediate answers to what the hell went on.” While his counterpart in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, vowed to hold the officers who forcibly removed Padilla from the press conference accountable.

“The assault on Senator Padilla today was an assault on freedom of speech in our country. It’s a federal offense to attack a member of Congress. But that’s not what it’s about, it shouldn’t be anybody in our country to be treated this way,” said Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the former Democratic House speaker.

Fellow California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff said he was “disgusted,” called on Noem to resign and said there should be an investigation of the conduct of the officers involved.

“He has every right to ask questions, indeed, that’s his responsibility and to be treated the way he was to be essentially bought to the ground and shackled after identifying himself is a disgraceful action,” Schiff told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus also demanded a full investigation into the incident.

While a large group of House Democrats marched from the House side of the Capitol to Majority Leader John Thune’s office to pressure Republicans to respond, the GOP leader provided a more muted response.

Thune said he is trying to investigate the facts surrounding the incident to determine next steps. He has spoken directly with Padilla, he said, as well as has tried to reach Noem and brought in the Senate sergeant-at-arms, the top law enforcement official in the Senate.

“We want to get the full scope of what happened and do what we would do on any incident like this involving a senator, which is to try to gather all the relevant information,” Thune said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, for his part, sharply criticized Padilla.

“I think the senator’s actions, my view is it was wildly inappropriate. You don’t charge a sitting Cabinet secretary, and everybody can draw their own conclusions,” Johnson told reporters as a group of hecklers behind him audibly countered: “That’s a lie.”

Johnson appeared to try to keep his composure as he ignored the heckles.

“A sitting member of Congress should not act like that. It is beneath a member of Congress. It is beneath a US senator. They’re supposed to lead by example, and that is not a good example. You have to turn the temperature down in this country and not escalate it. The Democrat Party is on the wrong side. They were defending lawbreakers, and now they’re acting like lawbreakers themselves,” the speaker went on to say.

Still, two Senate Republicans did express concern.

“I think it’s very disturbing,” Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said of the video showing Padilla being removed, though she added: “I don’t know what preceded it.”

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, meanwhile, told reporters she had also seen the video, saying: “It’s horrible. It is shocking at every level.”