Senator Alex Padilla from California was removed from a news briefing in Los Angeles after Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem addressed the ongoing riots linked to anti-immigration and customs enforcement in the city.
The Democratic senator, aged 52, confronted Noem during the briefing while local leaders accused him of being a “socialist” in opposition to the Trump administration.
“Secretary, I’d like to understand why you keep exaggerating the situation,” Padilla interjected from the audience.
As Noem continued speaking, Padilla shouted “Hands off!” while security personnel began to escort him out of the venue.
“I’m Senator Alex Padilla; I have a question for my secretary,” he protested, struggling against security. “The issue at hand is due to a number of criminals replacing you…”
Ultimately, Padilla was fully removed and could be heard exclaiming “Hands off!” a few times as he was led away.
He seemed to reference immigrants with criminal records—some serious, including rape and murder—related to protests that erupted after an incident involving ICE last week.
Fox News journalist Bill Melugin reported that Padilla was “temporarily taken into custody” following the confrontation and subsequently met with Noem privately after the event.
Noem stated that the federal government, which deployed hundreds of Marines and thousands of National Guard members to Los Angeles, was not fixated on “liberating the city” during Padilla’s outburst.
“We aim to free this city from the burdensome leadership imposed by socialists, this governor, and this mayor,” she asserted.
Padilla, whose parents were Mexican immigrants and who hails from Los Angeles, criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the protests.
“This is not an insurrection,” he told NBC Los Angeles, pointing out that the President and his team inaccurately labeled the demonstrations as a “riot.”
