Padilla said that after Noem said federal law enforcement and military personnel were in Los Angeles to liberate it from the governor and the mayor, he had to respond to such an "un-American mission statement."
"That is not a mission focused on public safety," he said. "That simply is not the mission of federal law enforcement and the U.S. military."
In emotional remarks, Padilla described being aggressively escorted out of the news conference. "I was forced to the ground, first on my knees and then flat on my chest, and I was handcuffed and marched down a hallway, repeatedly asking, 'Why am I being detained?'" he said. "Not once did they tell me why."
Padilla said he wondered what would happen if there were no cameras around in such situations. He accused Trump of wanting such a "spectacle" to justify his "power grabs."
When reached for comment, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement: “Alex ‘Pay Attention to Me’ Padilla is bouncing from one desperate ploy for attention to the next. If storming a press conference, lunging toward Secretary Noem, and ignoring police guidance wasn’t enough, now he’s spewing the same tired Democrat talking points on the Senate floor."
"Whether or not Democrats like it, the American people support President Trump’s agenda to deport illegal aliens. And that won’t change, no matter how many temper tantrums Padilla throws,” Jackson added.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Padilla’s remarks.