House Democrats Demand Testimony from Noem After Padilla Detained by Federal Agents at Press Conference
Shocked and angry House Democrats are demanding that Kristi Noem testify before Congress after Sen. Alex Padilla was detained by federal agents at her DHS press conference in Los Angeles. The incident has sparked a heated debate, with lawmakers accusing the administration of overreach and potential political manipulation. Video of the event, which showed Padilla being handcuffed and manhandled, has circulated widely, amplifying the controversy and drawing sharp reactions from Democratic leaders.
The California delegation quickly gathered on the House steps to decry the incident, with Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) stating, “If it can happen to Alex, it can happen to any of those senators on the other side, or any member of Congress, or anybody.” Rep. Gomez’s remarks underscored the Democratic fear that the event might be a politically motivated action against a prominent critic of the Trump administration. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed this sentiment, insisting that “every single person who was involved in manhandling Senator Padilla should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
Tensions flared on the House floor between purple-district Reps. John Mannion (D-N.Y.) and Mike Law, while Lawler posted on X telling Mannion to “seek help for anger management — and fuck off.” Mannion, visibly emotional, implored reporters: “Don’t cover the distractions. Cover the actions that lead us towards authoritarianism, please.”
Progressive Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) took a more drastic stance, calling for Noem to resign, while other Democrats, largely led by the Hispanic Caucus, plan to march to Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office in protest. However, with Thune scheduled to visit the White House this afternoon, it remains uncertain whether the protest will materialize. Meanwhile, many Republicans, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, have defended the DHS secretary and the federal officers involved, dismissing the incident as an overreaction to a perceived violation of the law.
The incident has reignited tensions between the two major parties, with the Democratic party’s base increasingly concerned about political overreach and the Republican party’s base showing support for enforcing federal law. As the situation unfolds, the impact on the political landscape remains to be seen.
Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.