California lawmakers blast handcuffing of Sen. Padilla at DHS press conference
California politicians reacted to the forcible removal of Sen. Alex Padilla at the Department of Homeland Security’s press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Secretary Kristi Noem held the conference to address the ongoing immigration response in Los Angeles. Padilla was physically forced out of the room after making a comment.
According to a statement by Padilla’s office, he was “forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed” but was not detained.
The California Latino Legislative Caucus released a statement across social media from the chair, Sen. Lena Gonzalez, condemning the handling of Padilla as “unacceptable, shameful and unjustifiable.”
“Senator Padilla is an elected official, carrying out his duties — asking questions on behalf of the communities he represents is not a crime. We will not stand for this appalling injustice,” Gonzalez said, demanding an investigation into the situation.
“As California’s first Latino U.S. Senator, he represents millions of us, including families like mine,” Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas said in a statement on the incident, demanding an “immediate, public apology” from the president. “This assault is not just disrespectful — it’s dangerous.”
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, criticized the reaction to Padilla’s questioning of the administration in addition to the creation of a “police state” and military deployment in Los Angeles.
“Anyone who continues to doubt whether this is fascism is living in an alternate reality. We must mobilize and put a stop to this frontal assault on our democracy and our most basic liberties,” Wiener said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones, R-Santee, said in a written statement, “The bloviating on both sides of this immigration enforcement dispute is doing nothing to help the situation in Los Angeles. It’s time for politicians to act like professionals, not performers.”
‘This is outrageous and reprehensible’
Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Mike McGuire, D-North Coast, said in a statement, “Alex Padilla is a U.S. Senator who was asking important questions and was violently detained. This is outrageous and reprehensible. All Americans must stand up to these authoritarian thugs. Trump and his posse are completely out of control.”
California Democratic Party Chair, Rusty Hicks, affirmed solidarity with Padilla in a statement, calling the move by federal agents an un-American, unjust assault when the senator was doing his job as an elected official. He cautioned against this “abuse of power” as a tactic utilized in authoritarian regimes.
“In this moment, California Democrats will not be silent,” Hicks said. “We stand united against those who use fear, force or federal agents to silence all who exercise the constitutional right to question those in seats of power.”
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, blasted the “out of control” Trump administration for crossing the line with its treatment of Padilla.
“From undermining the rule of law to unleashing military force on our streets, the Trump Administration has made chaos a tool for power,” Matsui said in a press release.
“As Members of Congress, we have a constitutional duty to conduct oversight and hold the Trump Administration accountable,” she continued. “We will not let fear and intimidation silence us or stop us from protecting our constituents.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined in the mass shaming in an X post, calling the “use of force” to silence Padilla shameful. “This treatment of a duly elected sitting senator is shameful and disrespectful,” he said.
“If they can handcuff a U.S. Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an X post, calling on Republican politicians, in another post, to condemn these actions.
In his first public comments following the incident, Padilla said, “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 farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country.”
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 2:36 PM.