California Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed, tackled, and handcuffed during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday, after trying to confront DHS Secretary Kristi Noem over federal raids across California.
Yes, a sitting U.S. senator ended up cuffed on the ground. At a public press event. Let that sink in.
According to The New York Post, Padilla walked up to the podium uninvited and announced, “I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary.”
Seconds later, Secret Service and FBI agents swarmed. He was pulled back, slammed to the floor, and cuffed on the spot. Despite identifying himself, security didn’t budge.
Video clips shared across social media show Padilla repeatedly yelling, “I’m a U.S. Senator!” as officers held him down. The clip has already gone viral on X (formerly Twitter), with some comparing it to “an episode of Veep gone horribly wrong.”
DHS later released a statement calling the scene “political theatre,” claiming Padilla refused multiple commands to back off and that officers viewed his actions as a potential threat. Secretary Noem added that Padilla hadn’t identified himself to her team ahead of time and “stormed the podium unannounced.”
Governor Gavin Newsom blasted the incident as “outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful.” Senator Cory Booker called it “an assault on democracy,” while Elizabeth Warren tweeted, “You don’t arrest a sitting senator for asking questions. Full stop.”
In a statement to The San Francisco Chronicle, Padilla said:
“If this is how they treat a U.S. senator in broad daylight, imagine what they’re doing to everyday people across the country.”
Hours after the press conference, Padilla and Noem reportedly had a 15-minute closed-door conversation, during which they exchanged contact info and “agreed to disagree,” according to DHS sources. A photo of the two awkwardly shaking hands outside the building later surfaced — and yes, the memes are already flowing.
Meanwhile, protests outside the LA Federal Building continued into the night. The demonstrations erupted after federal agents and National Guard troops were deployed to crack down on immigration-related unrest. Critics say the feds are overstepping, while Noem insists they’re restoring order.
But the image of a senator — a Latino one at that — being manhandled on live TV is now front and center. Republicans have been split. While House Speaker Mike Johnson said Padilla’s conduct was “wildly inappropriate,” even GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski admitted she was “shocked and horrified” by the scene.
The Department of Justice has yet to confirm whether an investigation into the security response will follow. But civil rights groups, including the ACLU, are calling for accountability now.