By Charlie Hunt
Democratic leaders and a lone Republican senator, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, quickly decried the treatment of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California and called for an investigation after he was removed from a press conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on June 12, 2025, in Los Angeles, handcuffed and forced to the ground.
“Sir! Sir! Hands off!” Padilla, 52, shouted as several federal agents surrounded and moved him out of the room where Noem was speaking about the Los Angeles protests against immigration enforcement. “I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have a question for the secretary.”
Padilla, who unexpectedly appeared at the press conference and interrupted Noem as she was speaking during her prepared remarks, was released soon after and met with Noem. Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, shared a video of the incident with Padilla on X, and wrote, “Incredibly aggressive behavior from a sitting US Senator. No one knew who he was.”
Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation, spoke with Boise State University political scientist Charlie Hunt, an expert on Congress, to understand how political polarization and a shift in American political decorum may have contributed to the shocking moment of an American senator being forcibly removed from a press conference.
What is striking to you about what happened to Sen. Padilla?
What stood out to me was the aggressiveness with which Noem’s security officers detained Sen. Padilla and took him out of the room. We do not ever see something like this happen to members of Congress and particularly members of the Senate. Sen. Padilla represents 39 million people – he is not some back-bencher member of the House of Representatives. I think it’s safe to say that no other modern presidential administration has come close to treating an individual member of Congress in this way.
This is also a real turn in terms of the completely autocratic way in which Department of Homeland Security staff responded to the incident. They claimed in a social media post that Padilla didn’t identify himself at the briefing, even though, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla” were the first words out of his mouth in the video that they themselves shared.
What safeguards, if any, do members of Congress have that might protect their ability to speak freely, and publicly oppose the executive branch?
Members of Congress enjoy the same basic free speech rights that all Americans do, but they do also have an additional set of protections that are relevant to this incident.
Members of Congress have significant oversight power, which involves doing due diligence on what actions the executive branch is taking and making sure they’re complying with laws that Congress has passed.
As a Senate member from California, it’s perfectly legitimate for Padilla to want clarity on immigration enforcement actions that are taking place in Los Angeles. Padilla even clarified after the incident that he was at the press conference to get answers from the Department of Homeland Security that he and other Senate members have been seeking for weeks about deportations.
This is completely in line with Congress’ oversight power. Senators often question officials in committee hearings like we typically see, but they also conduct fact-finding missions to learn how executive actions are affecting their constituents.
Congress members also have protections stemming from the Constitution’s speech and debate clause. Essentially, they cannot be arrested or indicted for things they say in their official capacity, which – because of Congress’ oversight responsibility – Padilla was clearly within the bounds of here.
Yes, of course, Padilla was also trying to draw attention to himself and the issues he’s focused on. But it’s not against the law to be a little bit disruptive or to engage in political theater, especially thanks to these additional protections members of Congress typically enjoy.
What other factors led to this moment?
Something I’ve written about previously is a phenomenon called negative partisanship. This means that voters and Congress members alike are driven not so much by loyalty to their own party but instead a sort of seething hatred for the other political party. What gets the most clicks and views, and what drives voters more and more, is the idea that “we don’t just want to see voting along the party line – we want to see our team beating the other side into submission.” This incident with Sen. Padilla was a very literal embodiment of this principle.
More broadly, this helps explain why political violence is becoming a more accepted form of political speech, particularly on the far right.
We have seen violence during Trump’s campaigns, where hecklers would be roughed up by participants at rallies, at Trump’s encouragement. Certainly, we saw it at the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump’s subsequent pardons of those rioters.
Does Padilla’s removal have anything to do with Donald Trump specifically?
We can’t ignore the singular role Trump has played here. This is a uniquely authoritarian presidency, even much more so than the first Trump administration. By authoritarian, I mean a leader who tries to rule on his own and suppress all dissent. Trump didn’t create partisanship, political violence or negative partisanship. But there’s no getting around the fact that his past behavior and openness to violence have lowered the bar for decorum in American politics.
For example, if you have convinced your supporters that the people on the other side of the political aisle are “sick” or “nasty,” that they are going to ruin the country, then those supporters will become more willing to accept some of the actions Trump has taken, such as calling in the Marines on protesters in Los Angeles, or pardoning the Capitol attackers – even if they wouldn’t have been willing to accept that kind of response 20 years ago.
All of these things combined – negative partisanship, plus having a leader on one side that is willing to lower the decorum bar beyond where we thought was possible – is a recipe for things unfolding like we saw with Padilla.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
What will you be watching for as this situation plays out?
My concern is the balance of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government. We expect competition between the branches, for “ambition to counteract ambition,” as James Madison put it, to ensure one branch doesn’t get too powerful. This incident was a huge step in the wrong direction.
As Congress has been steadily torn apart by partisanship, it’s given up lots of its power over the past half-century and no longer seems to see itself as a coequal branch of government with the executive.
As a result, authoritarian presidents and administrations see an opening to treat them this way without consequences. What Congress does in the next several days about this episode will speak volumes – or not – about whether it intends to ever reassert itself as an equal branch of government.
Democrats held the floor in the Senate all afternoon to demand answers about Padilla’s treatment. It will be revealing how Senate Majority Leader John Thune and others respond. Lisa Murkowski has said she’s pretty appalled by what happened. Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham seemed to imply that Padilla deserved what he got. Which route will Republicans, who control Congress, take?
Charlie Hunt is Associate Professor of Political Science at Boise State University.
Jerre Chumley says
Senator Padilla was not recognized by anyone, did not have is Senator pin on him, had no identification, so there is no one to blame except the Senator himself.
BMW says
Typical slant from one of your democratic sources. Was watching the press conference live when a man charged into the room screaming at the 2nd most powerful woman in our country while she was speaking. The unknown junior senator was dressed casually and had no identifying lapel pin. He was moving quickly toward the podium and was acting like a toddler throwing a tantrum. The look on everyone’s face was startling and the Senator was lucky that the Secret Service and FBI pulled him out of the room and handcuffed him to bring order as the scene was chaotic enough to warrant a more aggressive and immediate response. The Secretary of Homeland Security remained calm and when she found out who he was said that after taking questions she would graciously meet with him – which she did and they exchanged phone numbers. This appeared to be a planned stunt on the part of the Senator as he left the meeting with the Secretary and walked outside to read a prepared statement from his phone to the press. The reason it is difficult to take the Left serious, and to question each time they cry foul, is the truth never spews from their mouth, even when the entire scenario was recorded live for all of the world to see. With the way the Left is flaming the fire, literally, where this took place in LA – the hot headed Senator is lucky the Secret Service didn’t harm his aggressive self. In retrospect, I’m disappointed not to have witnessed a MMA type maneuver as his actions warranted such.
Bo Peep says
You can’t act like a person who didn’t get what they wanted at McDonalds, screaming and throwing things around and expect not to get thrown out.
Greg says
My only comment is, show the whole video and you will understand why he was removed.
William Moya says
“Our democracy” (The possessive pronoun in itself degrades the meaning). Drip, drip, drip, alas it will get worse, much worse.
Bill Boots says
Padilla was there for one reason, to deflect attention from residents and business owners whose lives were forever changed by the actions of rabid leftist unpeaceful protesters!
Just my thought says
He had a shirt on with a logo identifying himself and was allowed in the Federal Building because they knew he was expected. Please get the whole picture before judging.
Marek says
Noem is a clown and Trump’s doormat. Republicans’ comments of this incident are showing their hate towards anybody who is not bending the knee. They threatened the protesters across the country but remain silent or lie about those involved on January 6 . The government’s actions are inexcusable and unacceptable.
Deborah Coffey says
The disdain for democracy on this comment board is astounding!
Diane E. says
FACTS: he was in the building where he has an office, he WAS IN THE ROOM ALREADY LISTENING TO the Secretary of Homeland Security and what she was saying. HE was escorted as all congressmen are AROUND from his office into the briefing, BECAUSE OF IT BEING A FEDERAL BUILDING, they opened the door for him and he was in the back of the room listening . ALL congressman are allowed, they do oversight as their job. His shirt said “Congressman”, and the Republicans in there All knew him, they work with him. He was being escorted and all went in the room together and listening, by the same people that then attacked him and brought him to the floor ONLY because he asked a question in the forum. He questioned what was being said because it was NOT the facts as he knew them, so he asked a question about what was being said , as a Congressman and that’s his job. To silence him questioning her, they dropped him to the floor and he was trying to push them off him because he was stunned over what was happening, which would be anyone’s reaction in defense. he was trying to show them his “congressman” on his coat and his staff that was also in there also was trying to tell them, he’s a Congressman. Once they realized he was a Congressman, because a Congressman did have a right in there, they let him go. Some apologized, some didn’t. The Secretary of Homeland Security herself then said she’d have a meeting with him after she was done. It’s all on video. Even Republicans said it shouldn’t have happened and there will be an investigation of what went wrong that it all went down, because it was wrong to have happened. Accept the truth, even if it’s not what you want to hear.
Jim Hood says
According to Senator Padill’s website, Senator Alex Padill is in Congress’s Judiciary Committee. He is the chairman of a subcommittee on US Security of the Southern Border, immigration, and citizenship.
Padilla had already been vetted by security as he had previously entered the Federal Building. He had to attend a separate meeting not connected to Noem’s speech.
Once he heard about Noem’s speech in the same building, he wanted to attend and ask a few questions.
The FBI and the National Guard personnel accompanied him into Noem’s meeting.
Nothing would indicate he was a subversive or otherwise a malcontent. There is an indication that he was treated as such. Regrettable!
Thomas E. says
watch the video. don’t twist the truth. even republicans apologized and investigating what happened to Padilla, everyone in the room knew him. he did id and his staff person was telling them in real time. the Secretary knows him. he wasnt agressing, he was defending being attacked when just asking a question and complied. no excuses when mistakes are made. some can’t even accept mistakes ARE being made. It’s about the hands-on violence first time in history, only with this administration that has to stop.
DeDe says
Padillas office is in that building, he was already in the room in the back listening to the Secretary which is the Congressmen’s right and duty. He asked a question when the Secretary was saying something that he knew as inaccurate. That’s also his right and the correct forum for it. He was attacked and he was pushing them off him. He then just simply complied on the floor treated like a criminal by the same people that were just with him in the building, and went in the room with him….it was a set up. OR they didn’t want the public to know they were spewing incorrect information so they shut him up asking questions about it.
Sherry says
The Maga Fox addicted malcontents who commented here need to actually “watch” the ENTIRE video contained in this article, not just the edited “propaganda” on Fox.
Elected” SENATOR Alex Padilla “DID” identify himself, you could clearly hear his words on the video, if you would only open your minds and “listen”. Why didn’t “appointed” Kristi Noem and her detail treat him “respectfully” as an elected senior member of Congress? They all knew exactly who he was. . . he was escorted into the room by FBI agent:
Padilla said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday that he arrived at a federal building for a scheduled briefing with representatives from U.S. Northern Command when he learned Noem was having a press conference “a couple doors down.”
He said he requested to listen in and was escorted into the room by a member of the National Guard and an FBI agent.
“They opened the door for me, and they stood next to me while I was listening for the entire time,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash. “And then, of course, once I was forcibly removed and handcuffed.”
These lame and ridiculous intimidation tactics are all part of the trump fascist, bullying dictator playbook!
barnacle barry says
Hilarious to see the board mods letting the nonsense posts stand. You go bum rush a Cabinet member sometime, see what happens to you. You can and you absolutely should get the same treatment. The man deserved what he got, end of story.
You’re not fooling anybody.
Sherry says
@barnacle. . . Prove your ridiculous Maga hate filled claim. . . show us a video. Calling a sitting senior elected US Senator a “bum” tells us all exactly who you are!