Garamendi Statement on Sen. Padilla’s Forceful Removal

June 12, 2025 Press Release WASHINGTON, DC —Today, Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) issued the following statement following U.S. Senator Padilla’s handcuffing and detainment during Trump’s Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference: “This is appalling and unacceptable. California’s U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was doing his job of conducting administrative oversight and expressing his right to free speech. Shoving, handcuffing, and throwing a United States Senator on the ground just for asking a question crosses an unprecedented line. “This administration is out of control and must be held accountable. These are the actions of an increasingly authoritarian President.” ### Issues : Social Justice