Lawmakers outraged over Padilla's forcible removal from Noem press conference

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Last edited Thu Jun 12, 2025, 08:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: CBS News

Updated on: June 12, 2025 / 4:47 PM EDT


Washington — Lawmakers are calling for answers after Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, expressed shock over "the manhandling of a United States senator," adding that he wants answers "to what the hell went on."

Padilla stood up and walked to the front of the room while Noem was speaking and tried to ask her a question. Federal agents began shoving him out of the room as he said, "Hands off, hands off. I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary." Once outside the room, agents placed him on the ground and put him in handcuffs. His office said Padilla was in Los Angeles "exercising his duty to perform Congressional oversight of the federal government's operations in Los Angeles and across California" and was in the building for a separate briefing.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said Secret Service agents "thought [Padilla] was an attacker and officers acted appropriately." Noem told reporters that she and Padilla met after her press conference and had a "very productive" conversation.

"I wished that he would have reached out and identified himself and let us know who he was and that he wanted to talk," Noem said. "His approach, you know, was something that I don't think was appropriate at all. But the conversation was great and we're going to continue to communicate. We exchanged phone numbers and we're going to continue to talk on we can communicate better."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alex-padilla-kristi-noem-press-conference-los-angeles/

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Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said Secret Service agents "thought [Padilla] was an attacker and officers acted appropriately."

As a Hispanic (Mexican-American), he "fit the description".

And -

"I wished that he would have reached out and identified himself and let us know who he was

He did -

"Hands off, hands off. I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary."

But "words don't matter", it's what you look like or sound like. Manifest white supremacy in action.

But - "Price of eggs", "Kitchen table issues", "Working class".

Booker: He was made to kneel before the authority of the executive… They treated a member of the United States senate violently after he identified himself, dragged him out of a room, threw him upon the ground, and put him in handcuffs

— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) 2025-06-12T20:17:27.906Z

Acyn

@acyn.bsky.social

Booker: He was made to kneel before the authority of the executive… They treated a member of the United States senate violently after he identified himself, dragged him out of a room, threw him upon the ground, and put him in handcuffs
Jun 12, 2025 at 4:17 PM