The chaos erupted as a US senator by force removed from the DHS press conference in Los Angeles

The tension over the enforcement of federal immigration reached the boiling point on Thursday when the US Senator Alex Padilla from California was forcibly issued from a press conference organized by the Secretary of Domestic Security Kristi Noem in a Federal building in Los Angeles.

The dramatic event was revealed in front of journalists, when Padilla tried to ask questions about the new immigration attack that had triggered protests throughout the city.

“I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have a question for the secretary,” Padilla announced when two security agents began to push and push it from the room.

A video recorded by Padilla staff members outside the press conference showed that the senator was handled to the ground by agents wearing bulletproof vests marked by the FBI symbol, which then handcuffed it. Padilla, a Democrats representing California in the US senate, did not refuse.

When the camera rolled out, a voice was heard warning the staff, “There is no record that is permitted here,” some time before the recording suddenly ends when someone blocks the lens.

Although the incident was arrested in the video, the Department of Domestic Security claimed the behavior of Padilla was aggressive. “Senator Padilla chose a political theater that was disrespectful and interfered with a direct press conference without identifying her or had a Senate Security Pin when she hit the Secretary of Noem,” wrote Assistant Secretary DHS Trisha McLaughlin on social media.

Also Read: Pandef Urged Tinubu, Akpabio to Restore Democracy in the River hit by a crisis

He defended the agent’s actions, saying, “@secretservice thinks he is an attacker and officers act appropriately,” and added that Noem and Padilla met personally for 15 minutes after the event.

Noem himself characterized the senator approach as “inappropriate” and told reporters after that Padilla did not make a formal request to talk to him.

The event triggered a quick and strong reaction from Democratic leaders.

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the episode as “outrageous, dictator and embarrassing,” added, “Trump and his surprise forces are out of control. This must end now.”

Mayor Los Angeles Karen Bass also voiced a strong opposition, saying, “He is a seated United States senator. The attack on this government violence on our city must end.”

The minority leader of the Chuck Schumer Senate called for a full investigation, called the event “despicable” and warning, “(that) smells of totalitarianism. This is not what democracy did. Senator Padilla was legally there in the building to ask questions about what happened in California, which everyone wanted to know the answer.”

The press conference came in the midst of riots in Los Angeles, where the controversial immigration crushing that was ordered by the Trump government had triggered protests. While most demonstrations have been peaceful, some have turned into violence, with examples of vehicles burned and stones thrown into law enforcement.

In response, the White House mobilized 4,700 federal troops to the city, despite strong objections from local and LAPD leaders, who argued that they were equipped to manage riots, which had been contained in several regions.

The removal of a senator sitting from the press briefing has now added a new controversy layer to the handling of the federal government situation in California.