Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed and briefly handcuffed Wednesday after interrupting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference in Los Angeles.
Video shows Padilla identifying himself as he approached Noem, asking, “I have questions for the Secretary,” before being pushed out by security and handcuffed on the ground. DHS later claimed Padilla did not clearly identify himself and accused him of “lunging” toward Noem, prompting Secret Service agents to act.
Padilla’s office said he was on site to attend a briefing and conduct congressional oversight amid ICE’s sweeping immigration raids in Los Angeles. “He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information,” the statement read.
Noem said she later met privately with Padilla. “That wasn’t appropriate,” she said of his interruption.
Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, condemned the incident. “The manhandling of a United States Senator… sickened my stomach,” Schumer wrote on X.
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