US senator dragged out of LA immigration news conference, handcuffed
What's the story
California Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The incident occurred when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was offering the media the latest figures on immigration enforcement in Los Angeles.
As she was speaking, Padilla interrupted and shouted a question at her.
Video footage showed the senator being pushed out of the conference room. Outside, he was handcuffed by officers.
Current status
Padilla's office confirms he is not in custody
A video shot by a member of Padilla's staff showed the senator yelling, "Hands off" and "I'm Senator Alex Padilla, I have questions for the secretary!" as he was confronted by authorities.
Padilla's office stated that he was "forced to the ground and handcuffed" by federal officials while attempting to ask the secretary a question and that he is not in custody.
Immigration crackdown
Padilla compares his treatment to immigration raids under Trump
After the incident, Padilla held a news conference where he compared his rough treatment to the immigration raids under former President Donald Trump.
"If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, I can only imagine what they're doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country," he said.
Twitter Post
Watch the video here
Liars.
— Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) June 12, 2025
"I am Senator Alex Padilla." https://t.co/HAloEDxfj7 pic.twitter.com/iiINwoXfGZ
DHS statement
DHS accused Padilla of engaging in 'disrespectful political theater'
Padilla told the press that he was already at the federal facility for another meeting.
He claimed he stopped by Noem's conference because he and his coworkers have gotten "little to no information in response" to a lot of questions about immigration.
The DHS, however, said Padilla did not identify himself, and he was not wearing the senator's pin, leading officials to believe he was an attacker.
The DHS said Noem met Padilla after the press conference for 15 minutes.
Legal action
California has sued Trump over controversial immigration raids
California has sued the Trump administration over the controversial immigration raids that have sparked the ongoing protests in LA.
The state is preparing to challenge the deployment of 4,700 troops to Los Angeles, which Governor Gavin Newsom has called "dictatorial."
A federal judge in San Francisco is set to hear arguments on the constitutionality of using troops for these actions.