The Department of Homeland Security is already lying about having Senator Alex Padilla forcefully removed from Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles Thursday.
In posts on X, the official DHS account and Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin released a statement attempting to justify wrestling Padilla to the ground and handcuffing him.
“Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem,” the statement read.
“Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. @SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.”
But in a video of the altercation from Padilla’s office, the senator could be heard clearly identifying himself.
“Hands off! I’m Senator Alex Padilla, and I have questions for the secretary,” said the California Democrat, as a security guard pushed him out of the room.
Senator Padilla’s office sends me this video of his take-down and detention at Sec. Noem’s press conference in L.A. pic.twitter.com/RLUVYP1Jsb
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 12, 2025
In a statement later in the day, Padilla confirmed that he hadn’t been arrested.
“I was not arrested. I was not detained. I will say this. If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, if this is how the department of homeland security responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they’re doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country. We will hold this administration accountable.”
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