Alex Padilla Recounts His Removal From DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's Press Briefing By Law Enforcement

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During an interview with CNN on Sunday, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) discussed his physical removal from a DHS press briefing by law enforcement after confronting DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

Transcript

00:00Sure, after being in the room for several minutes, by the way, you know, you can't script this in Hollywood.

00:08I was in the federal building for a scheduled briefing with representatives of Northern Command

00:14when I learned that Secretary of Homeland Security, a couple doors down, was having the press conference.

00:19My briefing was delayed because some of the folks in that brief were participating in the press conference.

00:24So I asked the folks who were escorting me in the building, can we go listen in?

00:28In the hopes of some information, in the hopes of some insight as to their justification for the militarization,

00:37the escalation of what was happening in Los Angeles.

00:40And surprise, surprise, no substance came from that press conference, just political attacks.

00:46You know, when I heard the secretary, not for the first time in that press conference,

00:50talk about the needing to liberate the people of Los Angeles from their duly elected mayor and governor,

00:56it was at that moment that I chose to try to ask a question.

01:02You know, if all the Trump administration was doing was truly focusing on dangerous, violent criminals,

01:08as they suggest, there would be no debate.

01:10There would be no disagreement.

01:11But we've seen story after story after story of hard-working women and men,

01:17maybe undocumented, but otherwise law-abiding, good people being subject to the terror

01:24that this immigration enforcement operations is projecting the people to.

01:29I needed to speak up.

01:31I needed to try to get the information from the secretary that they've refused to provide in hearing after hearing.

01:37So is that what you asked?

01:39Yes.

01:40Well, I was beginning to ask.

01:41I couldn't get a couple of words out before.

01:44Obviously, you saw agents respond.

01:46Hands on me pretty much immediately.

01:47And look, everybody's seen the video.

01:49You know what happened after that.

01:50Well, I'm sure you've seen the DHS spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin, posted that you, quote,

01:56tried to manufacture a viral moment.

01:59Nothing could be further from the truth.

02:02Again, what are the odds?

02:04I was in a federal building, a couple of doors down,

02:08awaiting a briefing from Northern Command,

02:10because I still believe the federalization of the National Guard troops

02:14and deployment in Los Angeles was not only unlawful, unjustified, but counterproductive.

02:20It's what's escalated the tensions in Los Angeles.

02:23The sending in the Marines, as a result,

02:25like things have been quieting down day after day.

02:28So why do you escalate by sending in the Marines?

02:31And an opportunity to ask a question,

02:33maybe get answers that DHS, including the secretary,

02:36will not provide in committee hearings in the Senate,

02:39that will not respond to the letters that we've sent inquiring,

02:44that it was an opportunity to ask a question,

02:45and do my job as a senator, right?

02:47Do my job as a senator in questioning a cabinet secretary.

02:50Our CNN security correspondent, Josh Campbell,

02:53who was an FBI agent, he said,

02:55just from a law enforcement perspective,

02:58Secretary Noem's security acted appropriately at the beginning,

03:03not when you were in the hallway being handcuffed,

03:05but at the beginning, trying to keep you away,

03:09or get you out of the room

03:10because you interrupted her press conference.

03:14What do you think of that?

03:15If that's how they treat a senator trying to ask a question,

03:22here's one of my big takeaways,

03:23then imagine not what they can do,

03:26what they are doing to so many people without titles.

03:29But they might not have known.

03:30I know you said pretty early, I'm a senator, but...

03:32But...

03:33I was escorted into that room

03:35by a National Guardsman and an FBI agent.

03:38Look, the whole Los Angeles press corps,

03:40this is Los Angeles, this is my hometown.

03:42They know who I was.

03:43And what does it say about the secretary

03:45to not know who the senator from California is,

03:49the ranking member

03:50of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration?

03:52You were escorted into the room by law enforcement.

03:55Absolutely.

03:56I was escorted during my entire time in that building.

04:00From showing up in the building,

04:02going through security screening,

04:04escorted by an FBI agent, a National Guards member

04:06to the conference room where I was awaiting a briefing,

04:09they're the ones that requested,

04:10well, if we're waiting,

04:11can we go listen in at the press conference?

04:13They escorted me over to the press conference.

04:15They opened the door for me

04:16and they stood next to me

04:17while I was listening for the entire time.

04:19And then, of course,

04:20once I was forcibly removed and handcuffed.

04:23Several of your fellow Democrats

04:25say that Secretary Noem should resign.

04:28Is that where you are?

04:30That's maybe not my focus right now,

04:33but I do think there's some serious questions.

04:35How does the cabinet secretary not know

04:37the senator from California

04:39when she steps foot into Los Angeles?

04:42She came through the center for confirmation at one point.

04:45And certainly, how does the secretary of Homeland Security

04:47not know how to de-escalate a situation?

04:50It's because she can't or because they don't want to.

04:53And it sets the tone,

04:55Donald Trump and Secretary Noem

04:57have set the tone

04:58for the Department of Homeland Security

04:59and the entire administration

05:01in terms of escalation

05:03and extreme enforcement actions.

05:06One last question.

05:07Your Democratic colleague,

05:08Senator Brian Schatz,

05:10he was defending your actions

05:11on the Senate floor.

05:12It was a pretty emotional speech.

05:14He said the way you were treated

05:15is something we see in dictatorships

05:17that in a democracy,

05:19you are allowed to be disrespectful and disruptive.

05:22I know you said that

05:23that was kind of an organic moment.

05:25But do you think more Democrats

05:26should be, in his words,

05:28disrespectful and disruptive?

05:30I wasn't trying to be disrespectful or disruptive,

05:32and I don't think I was.

05:33I was simply asking a question.

05:36Just as the members of the press corps

05:37ask questions,

05:39members of the Congress,

05:40members of the Senate

05:40ask questions to do our job

05:42to hold the administration accountable.

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