Kamala Harris Speaks Out After Senator Alex Padilla Is Forcibly Removed And Handcuffed
California Senator Alex Padilla found himself at the center of a wild scene on Thursday — and now, Vice President Kamala Harris is making it clear that she’s not staying silent.
During a Department of Homeland Security press conference led by Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles, Padilla was reportedly attending to receive a military briefing from Gen. Gregory Guillot. But when he attempted to raise a question during Noem’s press conference, things escalated — fast.
Padilla stood up and declared, “I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” before U.S. Secret Service agents swooped in. Witnesses say they slammed him to the ground, handcuffed him, and dragged him out of the meeting space — all while media and stunned staffers looked on.
Kamala Harris responded quickly, calling the moment “a shameful and stunning abuse of power.” In a statement shared on her official X account, she posted:
“United States Senator Alex Padilla was representing the millions of Californians who are demanding answers to this Administration’s actions in Southern California. This is a shameful and stunning abuse of power.”
The video footage, captured by one of Padilla’s aides, shows the Senator with his hands up. Seconds later, multiple officers press him to his knees and force him face-down in the hallway. “On the ground, on the ground, hands behind your back,” one agent shouts as others slap on the cuffs.
Another voice in the background warns the aide filming, “There’s no recording allowed out here, per FBI rights.”
Padilla Defends His Actions, Urges Peaceful Protests After Immigration Clash
Speaking to the press later that evening, Padilla made it clear: he came in peace.
“There is a lot of concern, there is a lot of tension, there is a lot of anxiety…” he told reporters outside the building. “I encourage everybody to please peacefully protest, just like I was calmly and peacefully listening to that press conference and preparing, attempting to ask a question.”
This incident only intensifies the heat already surrounding Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts in California — which many say are increasingly aggressive and targeting Latinx communities.
Several civil rights organizations have already condemned the treatment of Padilla, calling it “unprecedented” and “chilling.” Legal experts also raised eyebrows, saying it’s “highly unusual” for a sitting U.S. senator to be forcibly detained, especially without immediate cause or warning.
Public Backlash Grows As Video Goes Viral
Within hours, the footage of Padilla’s takedown racked up millions of views across TikTok, X, and Instagram. Comments poured in from all sides — with folks calling out the feds and questioning why a Latino senator was treated “like a criminal.”
“Y’all cuffed a whole-ass senator like he broke into the damn place,” one user wrote. Another added, “Let that have been a white senator — we already know it would’ve been handled differently.”
Activists in Los Angeles are already planning rallies and calling on local officials to demand accountability from DHS and Secret Service. Some users pointed out how this situation ties into a wider pattern of political overreach in Southern California.