Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) led over 180 Members of Congress in a bicameral letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson to demand immediate action following a deeply disturbing incident in which U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was mistreated, forced out of a press briefing, and handcuffed by federal agents for attempting to ask a question during a public press briefing.
In their letter, the Members expressed profound concern and called the incident “outrageous” and an “affront to democracy.”
Senator Padilla was scheduled to meet in the Los Angeles Federal Building with the Commander of the U.S. Northern Command who oversees the military personnel that have been deployed to Los Angeles. Before his meeting, he learned DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was holding a press conference in the same building.
Despite clearly identifying himself as a United States Senator, Senator Padilla was removed from the room and thrown to the ground by federal agents.
“This unprecedented incident is not simply an affront to security protocol—it is a constitutional issue—as these actions may constitute an assault on a sitting senator. If members of the United States Senate can be physically restrained for seeking answers from executive officials, it sets a dangerous precedent for the independence of the legislative branch,” the Members wrote.
The Members also emphasized that Senator Padilla was lawfully exercising his constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the administration, warning that the incident represents a dangerous precedent. Together, the lawmakers condemn these actions against Senator Padilla.
Read the full text of the letter here and below:
Dear Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson,
We write to express our profound concern regarding the shocking and deeply troubling mistreatment of United States Senator Alex Padilla on Thursday, June 12, at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles. While visiting the building for a scheduled briefing with military officials, Senator Padilla attempted to ask a question during a press conference being held by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the same building.
As has been widely reported and documented, Senator Padilla was thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and forcibly restrained by agents of the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation while attempting to lawfully exercise his constitutional and congressional authority to question a senior official of the current administration.
Senator Padilla clearly identified himself and was acting within his rights as a Member of Congress. The use of force against a sitting senator—in a federal building, during official business—is a grave breach of protocol. It is also a potential violation of separation of powers and raises alarming questions about the conduct of federal law enforcement agencies, the coordination of protective services, and the administration’s posture toward congressional oversight.
This unprecedented incident is not simply an affront to security protocol—it is a constitutional issue—as these actions may constitute an assault on a sitting senator. If members of the United States Senate can be physically restrained for seeking answers from executive officials, it sets a dangerous precedent for the independence of the legislative branch.
We look forward to your swift and decisive action to uphold the dignity and authority of Congress.
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