From 'spectacle' to cash grab: Padilla's removal from DHS presser sparks DC firestorm, fundraising push

Sen. Alex Padilla’s, D-Calif., forcible removal from a property league held by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem triggered a firestorm successful the media and connected Capitol Hill, unleashing a question of scrutiny against some the lawmaker and the Trump administration.

The tense country came successful the midst of the ongoing anti-ICE riots successful Los Angeles, which began past week successful effect to ICE raids successful the area. The convulsive protests and unrest triggered President Donald Trump to mobilize the National Guard successful effect and for curfews to beryllium enacted successful the city.

'SPECTACLE OF HIMSELF': SENATE REPUBLICANS BLAST ALEX PADILLA AFTER HIS FORCIBLE REMOVAL FROM DHS PRESSER

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was interrupted during a property league by California Sen. Alex Padilla. (Getty Images/Fox News)

Below is simply a breakdown of events betwixt Noem and Padilla, and the absorption connected Capitol Hill. 

In the Room

Fox News archetypal reported that the caput would beryllium holding a briefing, with guidance making the rounds astatine astir 9 a.m. Pacific time. By astir 11 a.m. Thursday, the property briefing astatine the FBI office successful L.A. began with Noem, section officials and press.

Padilla, however, was besides successful the gathering receiving a abstracted briefing erstwhile helium caught upwind of Noem’s property conference. The lawmaker had been successful Washington the full week prior, lone missing votes connected Thursday.

Five minutes into her prepared opening remarks, Padilla burst into the room. Videos of the incidental showed that helium did not instantly place himself, and was rapidly swarmed by Secret Service and FBI agents, who bellowed "hands up."

"I'm Sen. Alex Padilla," helium said amid the scuffle. "I person questions for the secretary."

DEMOCRAT SENATOR FORCIBLY REMOVED AFTER CRASHING DHS SECRETARY NOEM'S PRESS CONFERENCE

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks to the media astatine the U.S. Capitol connected May 22, 2025, successful Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

He was aboriginal taken from the country and brought to the level wherever helium was concisely handcuffed portion the property league continued.

Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who was successful the room, said connected X that Padilla entered the briefing "without identifying himself," nor did helium person "his Senate information pin connected arsenic helium lunged toward Secretary Noem."

"Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to backmost distant and did not comply with officers’ repeated command," she said. "[The Secret Service] thought helium was an attacker and officers acted appropriately."

The brace aboriginal met and spoke for 10 to 15 minutes and had a bully dialog wherever Padilla laid retired his concerns with the ICE operations, and they adjacent exchanged telephone numbers, Noem said.

But afterward, Padilla shared a overmuch antithetic sentiment with reporters.

"If this is however this medication responds to a legislator with a question, if this is however the Department of Homeland Security responds to a legislator with a question, you tin lone ideate what they're doing to farmworkers, to cooks, to time laborers retired successful the Los Angeles assemblage and passim California," helium said. "We volition clasp this medication accountable."

Noem scoffed astatine his remarks and suggested that "perhaps helium wanted the scene."

"I deliberation the American radical are bushed of this," she said. "They conscionable privation the truth, and they conscionable privation to cognize what's happening, and that's what we were trying to provide."

Meanwhile, successful Washington

The video of Padilla rapidly dispersed connected Capitol Hill, wherever members of the House were gearing up for a vote, and immoderate senators watched the spectacle unfold connected the Senate floor.  

The country triggered a firestorm successful the media and connected the Hill, wherever lawmakers rushed to either condemn the attraction of Padilla oregon blast him for trying to pull the spotlight successful the midst of the ongoing anti-ICE riots.

"I deliberation [Padilla] should person been present successful Washington voting," said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who had yet to spot the video. "He has a work to his constituents, to amusement up astatine work, not to spell effort to marque a spectacle of himself."

Democratic lawmakers staged a march to the offices of some House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., successful protestation and arguments erupted connected the House floor.

Democratic lawmakers universally condemned the level of unit utilized to region Padilla, with immoderate calling for investigations into the matter. Others demanded that Noem resign from her post.

"We request an autarkic probe of this," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told MSNBC. "It is besides clip for Kristi Noem to resign. She needs to resign."

CONSERVATIVES ERUPT AFTER DEM SENATOR'S 'TEMPER TANTRUM' SENDS DHS PRESSER OFF THE RAILS

Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks with reporters astatine the Capitol successful Washington connected Jun. 2, 2025.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Johnson called for Padilla’s censure.

"We’re not going to person branches warring physically and having senators charging Cabinet secretaries," helium said. "We got to bash better, and I anticipation that we will."

Thune, however, took a much cautious attack erstwhile hounded by reporters for a absorption to the incident.

He said that helium spoke with Padilla, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, and had been moving to interaction Noem.

"We privation to cognize the afloat scope of what happened," helium said. "And bash what we would bash connected immoderate incidental similar this involving a senator, to effort to stitchery each the applicable information."

Money-Maker

Less than 24-hours aft the incident, Padilla, who is not up for reelection until the 2028 cycle, and Senate Democrats were already fundraising disconnected of the chaotic scene.

In a fundraising email sent astatine astir 9 a.m. Eastern clip connected Friday, Padilla recounted the events and issued the aforesaid informing helium made hours earlier.  

"Trump and ICE are terrorizing migrant communities," the email read. "Targeting schools and workplaces. Deporting radical with nary owed process."

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The Democratic National Committee besides jumped into the fray, sending their ain fundraising email conscionable minutes aft Padilla’s.

The enactment accused the Trump medication of taking "steps toward authoritarianism" and requested a publication that would beryllium divided betwixt Padilla and different Democrats truthful that others would person "the resources to support warring backmost against Trump."

"This is not lone an onslaught connected a sitting legislator — it’s an onslaught connected state of code and look successful our country," the enactment said. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to Padilla's bureau and the White House for remark connected this article.