Amid the ongoing protests over ICE efforts throughout the US, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem spoke at a press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday. At some point in the conference, US Senator Alex Padilla interjected with questions for Noem that would ultimately go unasked:
“I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary!”
Immediately upon making this remark, Padilla was escorted out of the room by FBI officers and placed in handcuffs while telling the officers detaining him, “hands off!” and that he is a senator.
After his detainment, Padilla revealed that Corey Lewandowski, an aide to Noem, came “running down the hall,” and ordered the officers to ‘‘Let him go!” and uncuff the senator.
After the incident, Senator Padilla gave his perspective on what happened to him, saying he was escorted by the National Guard and FBI into the building for the conference.
“We’re, the whole time, being escorted in this federal building by somebody from the National Guard, somebody from the FBI. I’ve gone through screening. This is a federal building. And so, I tell them, ‘Let’s go listen to the press conference.’ They escort me over to that room.”
Several political figures commented on the incident. California Governor Gavin Newsom stated on X, “This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful,” of the Trump administration. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins found the treatment of Padilla disturbing.
On the other hand, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told Politico that the actions of Padilla were unlawful and the FBI’s response appropriate:
“Without seeing that video, I’d just say: we all know what the laws of this country are and if you think you can disrupt or violate those laws and get away with it just because you’re in elected office, is ludicrous,” Scalise said.
Assistant Director for Public Affairs at the FBI also defended the actions of the officers in apprehending Padilla, an “unrecognized Senator” in plain clothes:
“FBI leadership has been briefed on the incident earlier this afternoon in LA,” Williamson wrote on X. “When an unrecognized Senator in plain clothes and wearing no security pin became disruptive and subsequently resisted law enforcement, our FBI LA personnel responded in support of Secret Service completely appropriately. We stand by them and appreciate their swift action.”
