ICE Barbie Kristi Noem's LA riots press conference interrupted as Democrat Senator is thrown out
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's LA riots press conference descended into chaos on Thursday when a screaming Democrat Senator interrupted the event.
California Senator Alex Padilla shouted over Noem before he was forcibly removed from the room by multiple guards and placed in handcuffs.
Noem was speaking and the Q&A portion of the meeting had not yet started when Padilla begun heckling and interrupting. He said: 'I'm Senator Alex Padilla, and I have questions for the secretary.'
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As Padilla was escorted out of the room during the tense interaction, he said: 'The fact of the matter is half a dozen violent criminals that you're rotating on your... hands off!'
Startling footage shared by Padilla's team show him being forced to his knees, then onto the ground and outside of the room before being put in handcuffs by the FBI.
Padilla, who is the son of Mexican immigrants, slammed the Trump administration and their treatment of migrants after the ordeal at his own blistering press conference.
In a statement he said: 'If this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community.'
Trump's immigration chief Noem was in Los Angeles to discuss the Trump Administration's response to the anti-ICE protests and immigration raids that have been occurring in the area.
As Padilla interrupted, Noem said: 'We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and mayor have placed on this country and what they've tried to insert in this city.'
Noem condemned the senator for the disruption and noted that he had not even asked for a meeting with her.
She added: 'I think everybody in America would agree that that was inappropriate.'
Padilla's team released a statement shortly after insisting that he was at the press conference to perform his congressional duties.
The statement read: '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.
'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.'
After the press conference, Noem addressed the incident while standing outside the federal building.
She said: 'If he would have reached out and identified himself and let us know who he was and wanted to talk. His approach was something I don't think was appropriate at all. But the conversation was great and we are going to communicate.
'We exchanged phone numbers and we are going to continue to talk. People need to identify themselves before lunging during press conferences.'
DHS said on X that Secret Service agents believed Padilla was an attacker and so acted accordingly.
The agency said: '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.
'Mr Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers' repeated commands. @SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.
'Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting.'
Noem called Padilla's statement about the incident 'ridiculous' and told Fox News she believed he wanted to cause a scene.
She said: 'The way that he acted was completely inappropriate. It wasn't becoming of a U.S. Senator or official and perhaps he wanted the scene.
'This man burst into a room and started advancing towards the podium, interrupting an opening statement and, elevating his voice and shouting questions.
'People tried to stop him from interrupting the press conference, but he refused and continued to lunge towards the podium.'
Noem told the outlet that she met with the senator for about 10 to 15 minutes afterwards and the two even exchanged phone numbers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned Padilla's detention on social media.
He said: 'Sen Alex 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 must end now.
'If they can handcuff a U.S. Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you.'
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who Padilla replaced in the senate when she was elected VP, said: '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.'
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski told reporters: 'It's horrible. It is shocking at every level. It's not the America I know.'
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