Amid escalating tensions in California, another dramatic scene unfolded this Thursday: the brief detention of Alex Padilla, California's first and only Latino senator. Padilla disrupted a press conference held by Kristi Noem, Donald Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security, who was in Los Angeles to back operations targeting undocumented immigrants, sparking six days of protests and disturbances in the city.

"If this is how the government responds to a senator trying to ask a question, imagine what they’re doing to farmers, cooks, or workers throughout the city," Padilla remarked following the incident.

The senator explained he was inside the FBI building in Los Angeles, awaiting a federal briefing on immigration raids that have led to the arrest of over 300 people in the metropolitan area since last week. While waiting, Padilla learned that a few floors below, Noem was about to hold a press conference, being one of the most prominent figures in Washington's anti-immigrant campaign.

Noem had been speaking for barely five minutes, defending Trump’s controversial decision to deploy 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines in Los Angeles. "We’re not going anywhere. We’ll stay here until we liberate this city from socialists and deal with the burden of the governor and the mayor," Noem stated when a commotion began in the room.

Guardians Push Back

Cameramen quickly shifted their focus to an unexpected scene: a group of bodyguards restraining the burly Padilla, pushing him out. "Sir, sir, I'm Senator Alex Padilla, I have a question for the secretary..." the Democratic politician managed to say before three men removed him from the room. In the hallway, Padilla was forced to kneel and lie face-down as FBI officers handcuffed him. Padilla later clarified that he was not arrested and his detention was brief.

The image, captured in a room full of journalists, went viral swiftly. "This is outrageous, dictatorial, shameful," stated Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, who has become the symbol of resistance against Trump following the president’s decision to militarize Los Angeles. "This is not just an attack on the senator, but on freedom of expression in this country... These actions send a message to everyone, no one is safe here," wrote Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, on social media.

The Department of Homeland Security claims Padilla chose "disrespectful political theater" to confront Noem. The official account of the secretary stated that the senator did not identify himself. This, despite all cameras present capturing the moment Padilla stated his identity. The senator reported that he was able to meet with Noem behind closed doors for 15 minutes following the incident, which has angered Democrats.

Catherine Cortez Masto, the Democratic senator from Nevada, also Latina, demanded Noem’s resignation. "This level of abuse of power is disgraceful and outrageous," she stated. The same sentiment was echoed by Ben Ray Luján, senator for New Mexico: "This administration claims to go after criminals, but they're actually targeting their political opponents."

Democratic senators believe the incident underscores the authoritarian assault of Trumpism and have criticized Republicans for remaining silent.

Padilla, the son of undocumented Mexican immigrants, has complained about the government's lack of transparency in conducting immigration raids. In recent days, federal agents have detained over 300 people on the streets of Los Angeles, with only a small fraction having criminal records.

The senator is not the first Democratic legislator attempting to meet with detained undocumented individuals. Several congress members and representatives from the central Los Angeles district have been recorded trying to enter detention centers. In all these instances, they have been turned away by security forces. "We will demand accountability from this government," Padilla declared after being handcuffed by the FBI.