cv The Guardian
A video of the incident, which has since become viral on social networks, shows Padilla to be immobilized and removed from the room by US secret service agents, and later handcuffed in the dog by FBI agents.
The Californian Senator Alex Padilla, Critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, it was forcibly withdrawn and handcuffed after trying to ask a question at a press conference by the US Secretary of State for internal security, Kristi calls.
The video of the incident, which takes place in Los Angeles, on Thursday, shows the Democratic Senator to be immobilized and expelled when trying to question the Secretary of State for Internal Security during a press conference.
“I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary, ”says Padilla as he struggles to move against several men, who push him to the exit. “Take your hands!” says the senator at least three times.
Already outside the room, Padilla is immobilized on the floor and handcuffed.
According to the incident, Padilla, a member of the immigration, citizenship and border security of the US Senate, said that had repeatedly asked to the Department of Internal Security (DHS) more “information about your actions enforcement of the increasingly extreme immigration law ”, but had not received an answer to your questions.
“It was there peacefully. There was a question. I was immediately removed by the room, thrown to the floor and handcuffed. I was not arrested. I was not detained“Says the senator.
“ This is how this administration responds to a senator With a question, if this is how DHS answers a senator with a question, they can only imagine What they are doing to farmerscooks, workers, throughout the community of La and throughout California and throughout the country, ”Padilla, son of Mexico immigrants, told reporters.“ We will hold this administration responsible. ”
From Capitol to California, the incident left in shock Democrats, says the British newspaper, but the senator’s performance received criticism from the Republicans – including Mike JohnsonSpeaker of the US Congress, which asked Padilla to be censored.
The incident occurs in a context of growing tensions between California and the Federal Government, after Donald Trump has and USA Marines to Los Angeles, to provoked by Rusgas to Immigrants – against the objections of the State Governor and the mayor of the city.
“I’m shocked with how much we went down In the first 140 days of this administration, ”he said Adam SchiffSenator of California, in a Senate speech shortly after seeing the video of the incident.
“What is happening to our democracy? Is there no limits for what this administration will do? Is there no line that won’t cross? ”Schiff asked.
In a statement, the internal security department says the senator “chose to do a disrespectful political theaterAnd interrupted a live press conference.
The DHS statement claims that Padilla did not identifyand that the agents believed it was Padilla um atacante When the Democrat “advanced” Noem as the Secretary of State spoke.
The statement that Padilla did not identify seems to be contradicted by the videos of the incident, in which the senator is clearly heard to identify, but the images show Only what happened after the incident had started.
“Mr. Padilla was repeatedly warned to retreat and did not comply with the repeated orders of agents,” the department said in an X, adding that the agents responded and “acted appropriately”.
FBI’s deputy director, And Bonginoaccuses Padilla not to use a security pin and to have “physically resisted to the forces of the law when confronted. “Our people acted completely appropriately while assisting the secret service and we are grateful for their professionalism and service,” added Bongino.
Noem, who was in Los Angeles to accompany federal agents in immigration operations in the area, said Padilla’s approach “nIt was appropriateAnd I would like him to have contacted his office before stopping the event.
After the incident, the Secretary of State and the senator met for 15 minutes. In a post at X, Kristi Noem says they had “A great and productive conversationA ”and who exchanged phone numbers.
After he interrupted our press conference with law enforcement, I met with Senator Padilla for 15 minutes. We probably disagree on 90% of the topics but we agreed to exchanged phone numbers and we will continue to talk—that is the way it should be in this country.
I wish he…
– Secretary Kristi Name (@sec_noem)
Democratic politicians said they were shocked by what the minority leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, described how the “Malrate” of a US Senator acting.
“Padilla is one of the most decent people I know. This is outrageous, dictatorial and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This has to end now,” in X the governor of California, Gavin Newsom.
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader of the Senate, in the X that “see this video let me get sickthe abuse of a Senator of the United States, Senator Padilla. We need immediate responses on What the hell happened”
“This is not just shocking, It is a threat to the rule of law and democratic responsibility. Senator Padilla is conducting supervision over Trump’s illegality and the violations of the rule of law. If this can happen to immigrant communities, It can happen to anyone“, Also in the X the Democratic Congressman Jimmy Gomez.
Republicans have a different perspective from what happened.
On the way out of the Plenary from the House of Representatives, Speaker Mike Johnson said that The fault had been from the senatorwho accuses of “moving against a secretary of state at a press conference.”
“Your actions are extremely inappropriate. A member of the acting congress should not act like this. Is unworthy of a member of Congressis unworthy of a US senator, ”said the Republican politician, who considers Padilla’s behavior“deserves immediate attention from Congress And at least it rises at the level of a censorship“.
