New Jersey – The Latino Action Network (LAN) expresses its strongest condemnation of the outrageous and violent treatment of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) by federal agents under the direction of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The forcible removal and handcuffing of Senator Padilla at a federal building in Los Angeles—simply for asking questions and exercising his constitutional oversight duties—is a chilling escalation of authoritarian tactics and a direct assault on democratic norms.
Senator Padilla, a respected public servant, M.I.T. graduate, and the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate, was violently detained in full view of the public and press while attempting to question Secretary Noem about immigration enforcement tactics. Despite clearly identifying himself multiple times, video evidence shows Senator Padilla being shoved to the ground, handcuffed, and forcibly removed.
“This was not just an attack on Senator Padilla—it was an attack on the Latino community and the very idea of accountable government,” said Javier Robles, President of the Latino Action Network. “If a sitting United States Senator—an elected official and Mexican American—can be publicly brutalized for simply doing his job, what message does that send to our immigrant families, our laborers, our youth?” The forceful take-down of a sitting Latino United States Senator by a department overseen by the Executive Branch is a threat to the Constitution of the United States of America. Moreover, it is another example of the white supremacist mentality entrenched in all sectors of the Executive Branch.
Secretary Noem’s dismissive response and DHS's attempt to frame the Senator’s inquiry as “political theater” are both offensive and dangerous. It is particularly galling that Senator Padilla was assaulted while trying to ask about federal agents detaining immigrants, many without criminal records, and as DHS operates increasingly in secrecy.
This incident comes amid a disturbing pattern: the arrest of Rep. LaMonica McIver, the detention of Mayor Ras Baraka, and the militarized response to lawful visits and oversight by elected leaders across the country. These are not isolated incidents—they are coordinated efforts to silence dissent, especially from leaders of color.
LAN joins the chorus of voices from across the country, including Mayor Karen Bass, Governor Gavin Newsom, and even Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, in calling this incident what it is: shameful, dictatorial, and un-American.
We call on:
- The United States Senate to immediately investigate Secretary Noem and the agents involved.
- Congressional leaders to hold urgent hearings into the growing abuses of federal power and the targeting of nonviolent, hard-working Latino families.
- Latino and immigrant communities and our allies need to mobilize and speak out against this outrageous treatment.
Senator Padilla’s calm, dignity, and continued commitment to accountability, even in the face of violence, are testaments to his leadership and to the power of our community.
We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced.
We stand with Senator Padilla.
For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:
Javier Robles, President
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (732) 887-8722
Cory Garriga, Vice President of Communications
Phone: (908) 346-3825
Email: [email protected]
Website: latinoactionnetwork.org
About the Latino Action Network
The Latino Action Network (LAN) is a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of Latinas, Latinos, and Latinx people in New Jersey and across the United States. LAN advocates for policies and practices that promote social, economic, and racial justice, fighting discrimination and promoting the well-being and rights of Latino communities.
About the Latino Action Network
The Latino Action Network (LAN) is a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of Latinos in New Jersey and across the United States. LAN advocates for policies and practices that promote social, economic, and racial justice, standing up against discrimination and promoting the well-being and rights of Latino communities.
For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:
Javier Robles, President
Cory Garriga, Vice President of Communications
Phone: (732) 887-8722; (908) 346-3825
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: latinoactionnetwork.org