Alex Padilla Tears Up Recounting His Kristi Noem Detainment on MSNBC: ‘It’s All BS Coming From Trump’ | Video

California Sen. Alex Padilla appeared on MSNBC’s “The Beat” for his first interview following his forceful removal from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s Los Angeles press conference Thursday, giving correspondents a glimpse behind the viral moment.

Padilla was forcefully removed by FBI agents and other plainclothes officials from the event after attempting to ask Noem a question about the Trump administrations ICE actions in L.A. Video footage shows the senator being pushed out of the room, pinned to the ground and being placed in handcuffs.

NBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff pressed the senator on what made him particularly emotional speaking with the press pool outside after the incident. The Padilla came from a family of day laborers in the San Fernando Valley, and said this administration’s target on immigrants, especially in L.A., feels personal.

“I understand their plight. I understand their struggle. I understand their sacrifice to just find the American dream, a good opportunity, maybe a good job, the ability to raise a family, and have the next generation have it a little bit better than you did,” Padilla told MSNBC with tears in his eyes.

“All the talk about immigration, you know, the — the misinformation, disinformation about, you know, invasions and insurrections, it’s all B.S. coming from Trump.”

Soboroff noted that the senator was raised by a father, who was a short order cook, and a mother, who was a housekeeper. After studying at MIT, Padilla returned to his hometown to rise the ranks in the public sector and serve his community. He told MSNBC that the Trump administration’s targeting of immigrants is misguided.

“If all they were going to do is target violent, dangerous criminals, true threats to our national security, that’d be one thing. Nobody has a disagreement there,” he said. “What’s happening in practice is so many — yes, undocumented — immigrants, but who are otherwise law-abiding, peaceful and hardworking, to think this administration changed policy for federal agents to enter schools, houses of worship, let alone workplaces? If immigrants are that bad, why is that where you’re looking for them?”

The senator also responded to Noem’s claims that he “lunged” at her during the press conference.

“That’s ridiculous. It’s a lie, but par for the course for this administration, right?” he said.

Padilla was down the hall in the federal building waiting for a scheduled briefing that had been pushed back because of the Secretary of Homeland Security’s press conference, he said. The senator said he was escorted into the conference room to listen, but he had to speak up.

“At one point, it was just too much to take,” he said. “This notion that Donald Trump and Kristi Noem have to come in and rescue the people of Los Angeles from Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass? It was too much. And so I spoke up. I introduced myself and said I had a question.”

Padilla also told Soboroff and MSNBC host Ari Melber that he had an opportunity to speak with Noem, but he did not get an answer to his question or an apology.

“If this can happen to a United States senator for having the audacity to ask a question of the secretary of homeland security,” he explained, “then just imagine what can happen to anybody in the country.”

Watch the full interview below:

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