Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) issued a warning Tuesday that the United States had entered “uncharted territory” after he was handcuffed and forcibly removed from a homeland security press conference last week in Los Angeles.

California Senator Alex Padilla delivered an emotional address on the Senate floor today, recounting his forceful removal from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference last week, an incident that others are now characterizing as a deliberate act of political theater.

California Senator Alex Padilla warned that threats to rights and liberties under Donald Trump's actions extend beyond California, urging Democrats, Republicans, and independents to "speak up and to push back" to protect Americans' freedom.

California’s U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other Trump administration officials Thursday morning.

Welker also asked Schiff for his thoughts on a scuffle on Thursday in which federal agents manhandled, handcuffed and removed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference after he interrupted with a question.

The following is the transcript of an interview with Sen. Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on June 15, 2025.MARGARET BRENNAN: And we're joined now by California Senator Alex Padilla.

Now the senior U.S. senator from California, Alex Padilla’s career in public service started amid intense fervor over immigration in the early 1990s. Now, it comes full circle.

The incident occurred amid heightened political tensions nationwide, including protests against federal immigration authorities over aggressive sweeps of migrants and immigrants, and deportations.