Tuberville says that Senator Padilla should have scheduled a meeting with Kristi Noem

June 12, 2025 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) criticized fellow Senator Alex Padilla (D-California) following an altercation between Padilla and the Secret Service.

Sen. Padilla forced himself into a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Krisit Noem in which he charged Noem. The Secret Service responded by forcing Sen. Padilla to the ground and then handcuffing him.

"You can't show up without your pin, refuse to announce yourself, and lunge at a cabinet secretary. It doesn't matter who you are," Sen. Tuberville said on his X social media account. "If Senator Padilla wanted to speak with Secretary Noem, he could have set up a meeting like everyone else. But this wasn't about that. Senator."

Senator Padilla's office released this statement following the incident:

"Senator Padilla is currently in Los Angeles exercising his duty to perform Congressional oversight of the federal government's operations in Los Angeles and across California. He was in the federal building to receive a briefing with General Guillot and was listening to Secretary Noem's press conference. He tried to ask the Secretary a question, and was forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed. He is not currently detained, and we are working to get additional information."

The handcuffing of Padilla has angered Senate Democrats. Senate Democrats were already angry that violent protests against the President's immigration enforcement actions in California were met with swift law enforcement action. President Donald J. Trump (R) called up 2,000 National Guard troops and deployed 700 U.S. Marines to support the besieged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents being threatened by the violent mobs.

On Friday Padilla joined a letter by Senate Democrats urging the Whitehouse to end the military presence in Los Angedles.

"For the federal government to deploy military forces into American cities without consulting the Governor and local leaders is a dangerous misuse of federal power that has actively disrupted local law enforcement efforts to maintain peace and order," Padilla and the Democratic Senators wrote. "Deploying military personnel should always be a last resort – not a first step – and should only occur when local law enforcement makes a specific request for such federal resources. The decision to use military personnel to create a spectacle has escalated tensions on the ground and created confusion among local law enforcement. Significantly, it also pulls military assets away from other critical missions and is a waste of taxpayer dollars."

Trump administration officials have said that Secret Service agents responded as they were trained to do- removing an unknown figure as he pushed his way toward the front of a press conference.

Padilla did identify himself as a Senator and did say that he wanted to ask a question when he lunged at Noem.

Democrats claim that their colleague was manhandled by the Secret Service.

Congresswoman Lamonica McIver (D-New Jersey) was charged by the administration after she attacked ICE agents at an ICE training facility.

"This is another incident of Trump and his administration abusing their power and stopping members and elected officials from doing their jobs. I mean, this is just going to keep escalating," McIver said in response to a question from The Hill.

"It is a further dissension into anarchy and authoritarianism, and it is time that Republicans in the House and the Senate not only stand up for our institution, but stand up for democracy and call on Donald Trump to stop this lawlessness, or someone is going to get killed," Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) told The Hill.

Democrats claim that Padilla was "assaulted" or "manhandled."

A group of Democratic lawmakers stormed out of the capital building in protest on Fridan to hold a press conference after Padilla's handcuffing.

McIver was indicted by a grand jury this week. She is accused of striking law enforcement officers and could potentially face up to 17 years in prison if convicted. Democrats say that her prosecution is politically motivated.

Senator Tuberville is running for Governor of Alabama.

(Original reporting by The Hill contributed to this report.)