
Democrats have criticized the forcible removal of a senator who posed a question on Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown at a news conference as “violent”, “horrifying” and “a stunning abuse of power”.
Secret Service and FBI officers grabbed, shoved and pushed to the ground Democratic senator Alex Padilla before handcuffing him after he showed up and asked a question at the conference held by the secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem.
Tensions have flared for days between Democrats and the Trump administration over the president’s use of the national guard and marines to quell protests against the administration’s anti-immigration program in Los Angeles. A court decision temporarily banned Trump’s control of California’s national guard, only for an appeals court to pause the ban and restore his power – for now.
“If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question … you can only imagine what they’re doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers, throughout the LA community and throughout California and throughout the country,” Padilla said after the incident.
Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic national committee, said the incident “sent a violent message to all of America: If you dissent against Donald Trump and openly disagree with the government, then you are not safe in our country”, adding the incident was “straight out of an authoritarian playbook”.
Kamala Harris, who formerly held Padilla’s seat, called it “a shameful and stunning abuse of power”, while senator Cory Booker said it was “a violent act”, adding “there can be no justification of seeing a senator forced to their knees, lay flat on the ground, their hands twisted behind their back and being put into restraints”.
Homeland security accuses Padilla of ‘political theater’
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the senator “chose disrespectful political theater” and disrupted a live news conference. They falsely claimed that Padilla had failed to identify himself and believed he was an attacker when he “lunged toward” Noem as she delivered remarks.
In video taken of the incident that has since gone viral on social media, Padilla is seen being restrained and removed from the room by the agents, saying, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary.” He shouts, as he struggles to move past against the men pushing him back toward the exit.
9th US Circuit court of appeal pauses earlier ban on Trump’s control of California’a national guard
The 9th US Circuit court of appeals temporarily returned control of California’s national guard to Trump, just hours after a federal judge ruled the president’s use of the guards to suppress protests in Los Angeles was illegal and banned it. The decision is not final and the court could later decide against his control.
It’s a temporary victory for Trump, nonetheless, in back-and-forth court decisions on who should control the security force, an issue that has pitted California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, against the president and angered Democrats, who see the deployment as an abuse of power.
Troops sent to LA by Trump deeply troubled by deployment
California national guards and Marines deployed to Los Angeles to help restore order after days of protest against the Trump administration have told friends and family members they are deeply unhappy about the assignment and worry their only meaningful role will be as pawns in a political battle they do not want to join.
“The sentiment across the board right now is that deploying military force against our own communities isn’t the kind of national security we signed up for,” said Sarah Streyder of the Secure Families Initiative, which represents the interests of military spouses, children and veterans.
Trump’s a ‘stone cold liar’, says Newsom as protests continue
Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, has called Trump a “stone cold liar”, condemned the federal deployment of troops in Los Angeles as “theater” and “madness”, and even questioned the president’s mental fitness, as protests over immigration raids in the city continue.
US rights groups warn of Republican effort to undercut LA advocacy work
Immigration and civil rights organizations across the US are warning of a growing effort to undermine their advocacy work as rightwing lawmakers accuse them of fueling the demonstrations against federal raids in California.
Advocacy groups voiced alarm on Thursday after Josh Hawley, a Republican US senator from Missouri, threatened multiple immigration and civil rights groups with investigations over claims that they are “bankrolling civil unrest” in Los Angeles.
House votes to claw back $9.4bn in spending including from NPR and PBS
The House narrowly voted on Thursday to cut about $9.4bn in spending already approved by Congress as the Trump administration looks to follow through on work by the so-called “department of government efficiency” when it was overseen by Elon Musk.
Hegseth suggests Pentagon has prepared plans to invade Greenland and Panama
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon had contingency plans to take Greenland and Panama by force if necessary during a congressional hearing on Thursday. When repeatedly asked by representative Adam Smith if invading the two countries was a policy of the defence department, Hegseth replied: “Our job at the defense department is to have plans for any contingency”
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What else happened today:
A judge released a Russian-born scientist and Harvard University researcher charged with smuggling frog embryos into the US on Thursday, freeing her on bail after a brief hearing.
Donald Trump has blocked California’s first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, signing a resolution on Thursday to stymie the state’s ambitious attempt to tackle the climate crisis by pivoting to greener vehicles.
The US justice department said on Thursday that it had filed a lawsuit against New York state, challenging state policies that blocked immigration officials from arresting individuals at or near New York courthouses.
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 11 June