Sen. Padilla handcuffed at Homeland Security press conference

Sen. Alex Padilla of California was forced to the ground and briefly handcuffed Thursday after being removed from a Los Angeles press conference led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Videos show the Democratic senator being grabbed and pushed from a room where Noem was discussing the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles.

“I am Sen. Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” Padilla is heard saying while several men struggle to remove him from the briefing.

Moments later, Padilla can be seen face-down on the floor with his hands behind his back as he is restrained by authorities, some in FBI uniforms.

Padilla’s office said he showed up to the event to carry out his official work as a senator.

“Senator Padilla is currently in Los Angeles exercising his duty to perform congressional oversight of the federal government’s operations in Los Angeles and across California. He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem’s press conference,” the statement said. “He tried to ask the secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information.”

Representatives of the Department of Homeland Security said Secret Service agents were justified in manhandling Padilla because he posed a threat to Noem.

“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 DHS statement said. “Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands. [The Secret Service] thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.”

The incident was denounced by leading Democrats.

“This assault is not only on [Padilla], but on freedom of speech and expression in our country,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi said on X. “These actions taken by Trump’s DHS communicates a message to all Americans that none of us is safe.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested that ordinary citizens would have been treated even worse.

“If they can handcuff a U.S. Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you,” he said on X.

Noem met with Padilla after the altercation, according to a Fox News reporter.

The confrontation comes as Los Angeles has been the site of a tense standoff between the federal government and local authorities and residents. The Trump administration has increased its efforts to deport immigrants from the second-largest U.S. city but been met by protests. Trump and administration officials deployed California National Guard troops and the Marines in L.A., claiming the city is lawless.

The ongoing dispute in Los Angeles has led to rallies opposing ICE in San Francisco and elsewhere around the country.