Sen Padilla insists he wasn’t disrupting Noem press conference: ‘I was simply asking a question’

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., on Sunday said he wasn't trying to be disrespectful or disruptive when he tried to shout a question at DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference last week.

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Sen. Alex Padilla was temporarily detained after approaching Noem's podium at the news conference. (Bill Melugin/Fox News)

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U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla is pushed out of the room as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference regarding the recent protests in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

Padilla was handcuffed and briefly detained by officers as he aimed to speak out in opposition to Trump administration immigration raids that sparked unrest in Los Angeles and smaller protests across the country this month.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference regarding the recent protests in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

Videos of the incident showed Padilla attempting to walk up to Noem while she was speaking at a podium and trying to shout over the secretary, but law enforcement stepped in and forcefully stopped Padilla's advance. 

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Padilla was eventually taken out of the room, brought to the ground and handcuffed, the videos showed. Fox News reporters who were present at the news conference said Padilla appeared to be detained for a period of time.

Padilla and Noem ended up holding a meeting afterward, which Padilla’s office described as "civil," and Noem described as "cordial" despite the strong disagreements between the two.

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Padilla said during another Sunday television appearance on CBS’ "Face the Nation" that he learned "nothing substantive, nothing informative" from the later meeting with Noem.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-padilla-insists-he-wasnt-disrupting-noem-press-conference-i-simply-asking-question