California Senator Alex Padilla delivered an emotional address on the Senate floor today, recounting his forceful removal from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference last week, an incident that others are now characterizing as a deliberate act of political theater.

The following is the transcript of an interview with Sen. Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on June 15, 2025.MARGARET BRENNAN: And we're joined now by California Senator Alex Padilla.

California Senator Alex Padilla warned that threats to rights and liberties under Donald Trump's actions extend beyond California, urging Democrats, Republicans, and independents to "speak up and to push back" to protect Americans' freedom.

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) issued a warning Tuesday that the United States had entered “uncharted territory” after he was handcuffed and forcibly removed from a homeland security press conference last week in Los Angeles.

California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla grew emotional as he took to the Senate floor on Tuesday to speak about being physically dragged out of a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles.

California U.S. Senator Alex Padilla Leads Entire Senate Democratic Caucus in Demanding President Trump Remove Military Forces From Los Angeles

California Sen. Alex Padilla was chucked out of a Los Angeles news briefing as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem discussed the ongoing anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement riots that have engulfed the city — before being thrown to the ground and handcuffed.

Republicans continued to chastise Padilla, using words like “launch,” “lunge” and “bum rush” to describe Padilla’s behavior as he began to try to pose a question to Noem.