[By Guancha Observer Network, Chen Sijia] On June 12th local time, during the press conference held by Secretary of Homeland Security Nielsen, California Democratic Federal Senator Alex Padilla (Alex Padilla) was handcuffed and forcibly taken away from the scene by federal law enforcement officers, causing strong dissatisfaction among Democratic Party members in the United States. They accused the Trump administration of turning the United States into a "fascist state".

However, the Department of Homeland Security later posted on social media to criticize Padilla, accusing him of "intruding into the press conference without identifying himself" and attempting to "rush towards the minister" for an "unrespectful political performance". But Padilla firmly denied these allegations, emphasizing that he had identified himself when asking questions and did not rush towards the podium. He criticized the Trump administration's immigration policies, stating that they would "hold the government accountable".

Video screenshot showing US Democratic Senator Padilla being removed from Secretary of Homeland Security Nielsen's press conference.

According to reports from The Washington Post, at the time of the incident, Padilla interrupted Nielsen's opening remarks, attempting to ask her a question. However, Secret Service agents and FBI agents immediately removed Padilla from the venue. The agents also pinned him down and handcuffed him. However, Padilla was not detained by law enforcement officials.

Video footage shows that about six minutes after Nielsen began speaking, Padilla interjected: "Secretary, I want to know why you continue to exaggerate and embellish..." A few seconds later, several agents on site began pushing Padilla towards the exit. "I am Senator Alex Padilla, I have questions for the Secretary..." he said as he was forcibly taken out of the room.

Afterwards, Padilla told reporters that he was waiting for a briefing from federal officials when he learned that Nielsen was holding a press conference. He decided to go to the press conference to see if he could obtain any new information about the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions.

Padilla said: "I attended Secretary Nielsen's press conference hoping to get some answers. After identifying myself and attempting to ask questions, I was forcibly removed from the room, pinned down, and handcuffed. If this is how they treat a U.S. senator who asks questions, imagine what they could do to Americans who dare to speak out. We will hold this administration accountable."

However, the Department of Homeland Security then issued a statement on social media criticizing Padilla. The statement read: "Senator Padilla chose to disrespect the press conference with a political performance. Without identifying himself or wearing his Senate badge, he interrupted the press conference while rushing towards Secretary Nielsen. Mr. Padilla was repeatedly told to step back but failed to comply with the officer's orders. The Secret Service personnel deemed him an attacker and took appropriate action."

The department stated that after the press conference ended, Nielsen met with Padilla for a 15-minute meeting.

Late that evening, Nielsen also appeared on Fox News to respond to the incident. Nielsen explained that when Padilla spoke, he "rushed into the room and rushed towards the podium", and the law enforcement officers present did not know who he was, so they removed him from the venue.

Nielsen said: "If he requested a meeting, I would be very willing to sit down and talk with him... We exchanged phone numbers and will continue to communicate and share information. I hope he had done this from the beginning instead of creating such a scene."

Video screenshot showing US Secretary of Homeland Security Nielsen interviewed by Fox News.

However, Padilla insisted in an interview with CNN that he had not "burst into the room or rushed towards anyone." Padilla also stated that during the 15-minute meeting, he did not receive an apology from Nielsen.

This incident immediately attracted public attention. Politico reported that Padilla's treatment enraged Democrats, who accused the Trump administration of turning the United States into a "fascist state".

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer expressed: "This makes me feel sickened; a U.S. senator was treated rudely." Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized: "It's becoming more and more like a fascist state every day." Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy warned: "We are witnessing the end of democracy."

Some Republican senators also expressed concern. Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said: "This is terrible; it is shocking on all levels; this is not the America I know."

Senate Republican leader John Thune adopted a cautious stance, emphasizing: "Before we make any comments, we need to understand the facts and figure out what happened."

However, many Republicans criticized Padilla's behavior. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Padilla's actions as "very inappropriate", stating "you cannot accuse the current cabinet secretary." South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham sarcastically remarked: "He got what he wanted; he made it onto TV."

Although Padilla was ultimately not arrested, some public officials in the United States have already been arrested for "obstructing immigration enforcement". Last month, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was suspected of attempting to forcibly enter an immigration detention center in the state while protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies. He was briefly arrested by law enforcement officers. Although the charges were eventually dropped, he has sued the relevant staff over the matter.

White House border affairs director Tom Homan threatened on July 7th to arrest anyone obstructing immigration enforcement work, including California Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Bass. Trump supported this statement on September 9th, saying: "I think this is great." In response, Newsom commented: "The President of the United States just publicly discussed arresting a sitting governor. I wish America will never see such a day. Regardless of whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, this is a line our country cannot cross."

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7515363928688312866/

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