Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held a private meeting with Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) after he was thrown out of Noem’s press conference on the pro-illegal immigration in Los Angeles that was held at the Federal Building in Westwood, Los Angeles on Thursday. A casually dressed Padilla was thrown out after approaching Noem while she was speaking and yelling at her.
After the incident, Noem told reporters Padilla had not requested a meeting with her, but that she would meet with him:
“Oh, you know what, I haven’t, I don’t even know the Senator. He did not request a meeting with me or to speak with me. So when I leave here I’ll have a conversation with him and visit and find out really what his concerns were. I think everybody in America would, would agree that that wasn’t appropriate. That if you wanted to have a civil discussion especially as a leader, a public official, that you would reach out and try to have a conversation. For instance, I have left voicemails for Governor Newsom wanting to have a conversation. Has he returned them? No, he hasn’t. I know that the White House has reached out and had conversations with Mayor Bass as well, um, and so that’s what you do to try to start these conversations and ask for partnerships. Unfortunately we haven’t met that in this area. I’ll visit with the Senator and find out really what his concerns are and then what we can do.”
Video clip posted by Red Wave Press:
Reporter: “Would you please address Senator Padilla’s interruption to your press conference… Will you be pressing charges from what we just witnessed here?”
Secretary Kristi Noem: “I don’t even know the senator. He did not request a meeting or to speak with me. So when I leave… pic.twitter.com/233FInB8NF
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) June 12, 2025
Noem met with Padilla after the press briefing, reported Fox News reporter Bill Melugin, ” I’m told Noem is in a room meeting with Senator Padilla right now. After I stopped recording, my team witnessed him being taken to the ground by FBI personnel and he was temporarily detained. Awaiting further details on what happened out of our view…Noem tells me she had a 10-15 minute meeting with Padilla and they swapped phone numbers. Says it was cordial and beneficial. He had concerns about ICE operations & they opened up a line of communication. Said it was a good meeting and things are okay between the two of them (outside of all the political reaction happening now).”
Noem tells me she had a 10-15 minute meeting with Padilla and they swapped phone numbers. Says it was cordial and beneficial. He had concerns about ICE operations & they opened up a line of communication. Said it was a good meeting and things are okay between the two of them…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 12, 2025
Video by the media and Padilla’s staff shows the Senator approaching Noem at a lectern in front of reporters, screaming at her as security surrounds him. Padilla is seen resisting and yelling he is a senator as he is forcefully ejected from the room and thrown to the floor and handcuffed.
Video posted by Bill Melugin:
BREAKING: California Democratic Senator @AlexPadilla4CA just crashed DHS Secretary Noem’s press conference in LA and was forcibly removed. pic.twitter.com/Q2sUWiImAM
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 12, 2025
Video taken by a Padilla staffer posted by FoxLa reporter Elex Michaelson:
#BREAKING @SenAlexPadilla tries to interrupt a press conference by @DHSgov Sec @KristiNoem and he’s forcibly removed.
California’s senior U.S. Senator was handcuffed and detained.
Video from @AlexPadilla4CA’s staff pic.twitter.com/PXfszkBXxo
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) June 12, 2025
Padilla staff statement:
JUST IN: Padilla’s office says he is no longer detained: pic.twitter.com/9ia2VJk67R
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) June 12, 2025
Complete Noem press conference:
Homeland Security statement, “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.”
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’… https://t.co/5TGxrRZ2Ex
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 12, 2025
UPDATE: Noem spoke to Martha MacCallum about Padilla:
DHS Sec Kristi Noem REFUTES Sen. Alex Padilla’s claim that he was just there to peacefully ask a question:
“This man burst into the room, started lunging toward the podium, interrupting me, and elevating his voice…” pic.twitter.com/oHulFg4qMW
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 12, 2025
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