[Pages S3411-S3412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Los Angeles Press Briefing

  Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, it is important to me for this body to 
know that over the last 2 weeks in Los Angeles, my hometown, we are 
seeing masked Federal agents in tactical gear ordered into our 
communities. We have seen the disturbing pattern of increasingly 
extreme and cruel immigration enforcement operations targeting 
nonviolent people at places of worship, at schools, in courthouses--all 
to meet an arbitrary quota. Now we are seeing President Trump 
federalize National Guard troops and deploy them without the Governor's 
consent. Active-Duty marines are now being deployed, escalating 
tensions in our city. It is important to note--all this without 
coordination with State and local law enforcement.
  Despite repeated requests for the justification for these extreme 
actions and after months and months of little to no response from the 
administration on their aggressive and theatrical immigration raids, 
the Trump administration has done everything in their power but to 
provide transparency to the American people about their mission in Los 
Angeles. So last week, I chose to go home to try to get answers from 
the administration as they are literally militarizing our city. I want 
to share what I learned and I want to share what I heard because it 
should shock the conscience of our country.
  One of the first items on my schedule last Thursday was a meeting and 
a briefing with General Guillot, the 4-star general in charge of U.S. 
Northern Command. Many of you know him. The briefing was scheduled at 
the Federal building in West Los Angeles where they are overseeing 
these military operations.
  Now, colleagues, when the U.S. military is deployed domestically, 
when our troops are deployed against the wishes of the Governor for the 
first time since 1965, against the wishes of the local mayor, and even 
against the wishes of local law enforcement--both the police chief and 
the sheriff--we are in uncharted territory.
  So in my efforts to do my duty to conduct congressional oversight and 
to try to get answers from the Department of Defense that State and 
local officials were not receiving, I went to the Federal building in 
West Los Angeles. I was met at the entrance--at the entrance--by a 
National Guardsman and an FBI agent, who escorted me through security 
screening and up to a conference room for my scheduled briefing.
  While waiting for my scheduled briefing with General Guillot, I 
learned that Homeland Security Secretary Noem was holding a press 
conference literally just down the hall, and that press conference was 
causing my briefing to be delayed. The thought occurred to me that, 
well, maybe I could attend this press conference and listen in--just 
listen--in the hopes of hearing Secretary Noem provide some new 
information that could help us make sense of what was happening.
  I didn't just get up and go; I asked and was escorted by the National 
Guardsman and the FBI agent into the press conference. They opened the 
door for me. They accompanied me into the press briefing room, and they 
stood next to me as I stood there for a while, listening.
  At one point, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security said that the 
purpose of Federal law enforcement and the purpose of the U.S. military 
was to ``liberate'' Los Angeles from our Governor and our mayor, to 
somehow liberate us from the very people that we democratically elected 
to lead our city and our State.
  Colleagues, let that fundamentally un-American mission statement sink 
in. That is not a mission focused on public safety, and that simply is 
not and cannot be the mission of Federal law enforcement and the U.S. 
military.
  To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, are we truly prepared to 
live in a country where the President can deploy the Armed Forces to 
decide which duly-elected Governors and mayors should be allowed to 
lead their constituents? Is that really the precedent that we are OK 
with setting?
  As Secretary Noem herself said last year when she was Governor of 
South Dakota--at the time, she said:

       If Joe Biden federalizes the National Guard, that would be 
     a direct attack on states' rights.

  That was Governor Noem, now-Secretary Noem.
  Throughout this country's history, we have had conflict, we have had 
tumult, but we have never had a tyrant as a Commander in Chief. That is 
not by coincidence; it is because the American people have always been 
willing to speak up and exercise their First Amendment right to 
protest, especially when our fundamental rights have been threatened.
  As the proud son of immigrants from Mexico, it is that same right 
that I came to revere when marching through the streets with my family 
and my friends in 1994 in Los Angeles, protesting against the vile 
anti-immigrant rhetoric that was growing in California at that time. It 
was that year that a Republican Governor was up for reelection and was 
down in the polls, and he turned to scapegoating immigrants to try to 
improve his political standing and his reelection chances. That fight 
is what inspired me to leave an engineering career behind and dedicate 
myself to trying to influence our government and our politics.
  So I have seen this before. California has seen this before. So last 
week, when I heard something so blatantly un-American from the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, a Cabinet official, of course I was 
compelled, both as a Senator and as an American, to speak up. But 
before I could even get out my question, I was physically and 
aggressively forced out of the room, even as I repeatedly announced 
that I was a U.S. Senator and I had a question for the Secretary and 
even as the National Guardsman and the FBI agent who served as my 
escorts and brought me into that press briefing room stood by silently, 
knowing full well who I was.
  You have seen the video. I was pushed and pulled, struggled to 
maintain my balance. I was forced to the ground--first on my knees and 
then flat on my chest. And as I was handcuffed and marched down a 
hallway, repeatedly asking ``Why am I being detained?'' not once did 
they tell me why.
  I pray you never have a moment like this, but I will tell you, in 
that moment, a lot of questions came to my mind.
  First of all, where are they taking me? Because I know I am not just 
being escorted out of the building. Am I being arrested here? And what 
will a city already on edge from being militarized think when they see 
their U.S. Senator being handcuffed just for trying to ask a question?
  And what will my wife think? What will our boys think?
  And I also remember asking myself, If this aggressive escalation is 
the result of someone speaking up against the abuses and overreach of 
the Trump administration, was it really worth it?
  But, colleagues, how many Americans in our Nation's history have 
marched, have protested, have shed blood, even lost their lives to 
protect our rights? How many Americans have served in wars overseas to 
protect our freedoms here at home? And how many Americans in the year 
2025 see a vindictive President on a tour of retribution, unrestrained 
by the majority of this separate and coequal branch of government and 
wonder if it is worth it to stand up or to speak out?
  If a U.S. Senator becomes too afraid to speak up, how can we expect 
any other American to do the same?
  Colleagues, you know me. I can't think of a person who would describe 
me as a flamethrower. I try to be respectful. I try to be considerate 
to every Member of this body, regardless of our political differences.
  And so I do want to take a moment to thank all of my colleagues, on 
both sides of the aisle, who have reached out to share your messages of 
support--whether they were public messages or many in private. Trust 
me, they mean the world to me, and I know they mean the world to my 
family.
  But if you watched what unfolded last week and thought what happened 
is just about one politician and one press conference, you are missing 
the point. If that is what the administration is willing to do to a 
U.S. Senator for having the audacity to simply ask a question, imagine 
what they will do to

[[Page S3412]]

any American who dares to speak up. If what you saw happen can happen 
when the cameras are on, imagine not only what can happen but what is 
happening in so many places where there are no cameras.
  Colleagues, this isn't about me. In fact, it is not just about 
immigrant communities or even just the State of California. It is about 
every single American who values their constitutional rights. It is 
about anyone who has ever exercised their First Amendment rights or 
anyone who has ever disagreed with a President or anyone who simply 
values our democracy and wants to keep it.
  Now, the President will tell you that this is just about undocumented 
immigrants, about law and order, and about targeting dangerous, violent 
criminals. If it was just about targeting dangerous and violent 
criminals, there would be no disagreement. There would be no debate. 
But we know differently. We don't think; we know differently.
  Public data released by the administration shows that the majority of 
immigrants currently in ICE custody have no prior criminal conviction, 
and new reporting shows that less than 10 percent of immigrants taken 
into ICE custody since October have serious criminal convictions--less 
than 10 percent.
  But a couple weeks ago, it seemed that Donald Trump was at the lowest 
point of his presidency so far. He was drowning in a week of terrible 
headlines. The American people were finally waking up to the realities 
of the budget reconciliation bill that will cut healthcare, nutrition 
assistance, and good-paying clean energy jobs, while reducing the tax 
burden on billionaires. He was losing his tariff wars as the costs for 
everyday goods were continuing to rise. His promises to end Russia's 
invasion of Ukraine were falling flat, and he had been handed loss 
after loss in Federal court. He even had a very public breakup with 
Elon Musk.
  And I mention this only because we know what happens when the 
headlines turn on Donald Trump. When Donald Trump is having a bad week, 
he turns to the same tired playbook he always has: When in doubt, 
scapegoat immigrants, and manufacture a crisis to distract the media 
from what is going on.
  That is the reason ICE raids ramped up in California. And when 
Californians took to the streets to peacefully protest, he bypassed the 
Governor and federalized the National Guard. And even with their 
presence over a couple of days as things began to settle, he escalated 
even further by sending in the Marines.
  He wants the spectacle, not just to distract, but to justify his 
undemocratic crackdowns and his authoritarian power grabs.
  That is the reason why, even though the vast majority of protests 
have remained peaceful--what a weekend. That notwithstanding, the 
President, the Vice President, and their allies have continued to call 
all the protesters out there insurrectionists. Yes, this is the same 
man who provoked an actual insurrection at our Capitol on January 6; 
the same man who incited a violent mob, carrying confederate flags 
against Congress; the same man who then pardoned the convicted felons 
who assaulted our brave Capitol police officers.
  Donald Trump is continuing to test the boundaries of his power, and 
he has surrounded himself with yes-men and underqualified attack dogs, 
from the DHS Secretary to the FBI Director to the Secretary of Defense, 
who will rubberstamp every anti-democratic step he takes.
  This administration's officials and maybe not all, but many 
Republicans in Congress, may choose not to do their job, but they 
cannot stop me from doing mine. And I refuse to let immigrants be 
political pawns on his path towards fascism.
  Again, if you really think this is just about immigrants and 
immigration, it is time to wake up. What is happening is not just a 
threat to California, it is a threat to everyone in every State. If 
Donald Trump can bypass the Governor and activate the National Guard to 
put down protests on immigrant rights, he can do it to suppress your 
rights too.
  If he can deploy the Marines to Los Angeles without justification, he 
can deploy them to your State too.
  And if he can ignore due process, strip away First Amendment rights, 
and disappear people to foreign prisons without their day in court, he 
can do it to you too.
  Because California is just the test case for the rest of the country. 
Last week, for many, it was a warning shot. But I pray that it also 
serves as a wake-up call.
  We have now seen--since Thursday, we have now seen Trump threaten to 
do the same in other cities run by elected Democrats. He is saying the 
quiet part out loud.
  It doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat or an 
Independent. We all have a responsibility to speak up and to push back 
before it is too late.
  So I do encourage people to keep peacefully protesting. There is 
nothing more patriotic than to peacefully protest for your rights. 
Because no one is going to liberate Los Angeles but Angelenos. No one 
will redeem America but Americans. No one is coming to save us but us.
  And we know that the cameras are not on in every corner of the 
country. But if this administration is this afraid of just one Senator 
with a question, colleagues, imagine what the voices of tens of 
millions of Americans peacefully protesting can do.
  I thank you all for being here to hear me. I thank you, Mr. 
President.
  (Applause.)

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