LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, was forcibly removed today from a West Los Angeles news conference being held by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and he was subsequently forced to a hallway floor and placed in handcuffs.
Noem was in the middle of her remarks at the news conference at the West Los Angeles federal building, discussing ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city, when Padilla tried to interrupt her. At that point, federal officers in the room forcibly grabbed Padilla and pushed him out of a door and into a hallway. Padilla continued speaking loudly as he was removed from the room.
According to video footage from the scene, Padilla was led into a hallway where three federal officers forced him to the ground on his stomach, and his hands were cuffed behind his back.
According to a statement from Padilla’s office issued about 30 minutes later, the senator “is not currently detained,” but there were no immediate details on his whereabouts.
Asked about the incident, Noem said she was unaware that Padilla was going to be in attendance at her news conference, and said she had not received any request from him or his office to speak with her.
The statement from Padilla’s office said the senator “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 (Gregory) Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem’s press conference. 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.”
Guillot is an Air Force general and commander of U.S. Northern Command, which oversees homeland defense, and North American Aerospace Defense Command.