Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have urged their chair, Sen. Rand Paul, to conduct a hearing to review the Trump administration’s management of the Los Angeles demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement and deportation activities. The Democrats are asking for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi No, who is a Republican, to appear before the lawmakers to discuss the administration’s response to the ongoing protests in the L.A. area. The Democrats highlighted the deployment of National Guard troops and Marine units by the Trump administration, which President Trump directed in response to the protests. President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard and Marines, which California Gov. Gavin Newsom called “purposefully inflammatory,” has led to a legal challenge by California’s state government. The Democrats have criticized the administration for endangering public safety by federalizing a state’s National Guard against the governor’s wishes and sending them into a city where local law enforcement is already managing the protests. They are calling for an oversight hearing to investigate the administration’s actions and provide answers to their questions about the dangerous and intentionally provocative measures taken.
Beyond the demands for an oversight hearing, the incident involving California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla adds a new layer to the controversy. Padilla was shoved to the floor and handcuffed by Noem’s security detail when he attempted to interrupt a press conference the DHS secretary had convened to discuss the ongoing demonstrations. The Democrats accuse the administration of being provocative in its handling of the situation and are pushing for further accountability. However, a spokesperson for Paul has yet to respond to the request for comment, and it is highly unlikely that the Republicans will engage with the Democrats’ request, given their general sympathy for Trump’s immigration agenda. Gary Peters, the Senate Homeland Committee ranking member, has separately asked to speak with Noem by phone after the episode with Padilla, though Noem has not yet responded.