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© Thomson Reuters 2025.Trump officials vow to step up LA crackdown; Democratic senator dragged away in protest
By Brad Brooks LOS ANGELES©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
110 Comments
JeffLee
Only the ones who are suspected of staying in the country illegally. That teensy bit of context is always left out by the Dems and others.
JJE
Interesting to see photos of the 2/7 Marines at the bottom. Those were taken at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach next door in Orange County.
Here is some aerial footage of the various relevant training on the combined baseball-soccer field there:
https://x.com/TheLtColUSMC/status/1932805278225084852
JJE
US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) is flying surveillance drones over the Los Angeles 'protests', the agency confirmed in a statement yesterday. The drones are MQ-9 Predators.
They released a video of it to ram home the point:
https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1932554361840022016
It reveals much violence at the riots including offenders launching missiles at federal agents.
Bob Fosse
“Noem said later Padilla had not identified himself as a senator during the scuffle, but the video clearly shows him doing so.”
So she’s incompetent, a liar or both.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Homeland Security animals should not be trying to drag people away for asking a question.
TaiwanIsNotChina
And the context you leave out is that there won't be any farmerhands, cooks, or day laborers without the undocumented.
wallace
Deplorable action was taken against an elected Senator arrested at an open press conference.
wallace
Trump's manufactured LA crisis.
Blacklabel
Want to be treated like a Senator? act like a Senator.
identify yourself, then ask a question once recognized by the speaker during the time for questions.
JJE
Let's address the press conference - she was delivering a media statement from a lectern and it was not Q&A time by any measure. Suddenly there a commotion with someone yelling and gesticulating. The room was somewhat surprised, as no one actually knew who it was. When people attempted to calm him down, there was a lunge and flailing arms, so security personnel ejected him from the room and took him down an outer hallway to straighten him out and let him regain his composure.
It's all on camera. Clearly, he was animated and very excited. Noem for her part graciously said she would contact him and hear his concerns, as nobody knew who it was during the disruption (he had a jacket on and senate lapel pin). More interestingly she revealed she has been in the trenches herself - in LA on actual immigration raids - and said DHS/ICE is not going anywhere until the issue is solved. She also revealed she had left voice messages on Gavin Newsom's phone previously with no reply.
JJE
...correction - a jacket on and NO senate lapel pin.
WoodyLee
Buckle your seatbelts ladies and gentleman we are entering the Era of a Dictatorship in America, soon the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and the 5th amendments will be either altered of abolished.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Funny the cameras picked up Padilla saying he was senator quite well and he did not sound like a crazy person but then the russian is a better expert on that.
Blacklabel
“CNN brought on their legal expert in hopes that he would side with Sen. Padilla over DHS.
They were wrong.
“Officers are trying to lead him out, he turns and walks into those agents. At that point…we’re taking that person out against their will.”
none one is above the law, as this person always posts over and over on X.
DaDude
and the proper way to fight back is burn, loot, destroy and injure businesses and those that have nothing to do with this? OK, that makes total sense.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The proper way to think about this is that one smashed Nike store window is not a national news story.
TaiwanIsNotChina
These aren't actual law enforcement officers despite your fantasies.
stormcrow
A manufactured crisis, completely unnecessary.
It’s just another chance for Donald Trump to flex those draft dodging authoritarian muscles he just loves to show off. Absolutely disgraceful to see a U.S. president behave this way.
Blacklabel
and I saw the original video. When it was “screaming man rushes podium during press conference”
before it was known who is was and people could go back in time and try to excuse the aggressive behavior “because it’s a Democrat Senator”
no security pin visible, aggressive, didn’t follow commands of agents.
no one is above the law.
asdfgtr
@JeffLee,
Only ones who aren't pure white and are suspected of staying illegally. That bit of context is always left out by the MAGAts and their enablers.
Illegal immigrant Elon Musk is a prime example.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/10/26/elon-musk-immigration-status/
bass4funk
Ahhh, now all of a sudden Dems want to be heard, sound so vaguely familiar
bass4funk
The race card won’t help the left.
Huh?
Bob Fosse
What law did he break?
Speaking out of turn at a press conference?
You’ll try to excuse anything because you have no choice.
deanzaZZR
She explained that the California Senator was "lunging at her". Make of that what you like.
Underworld
JJE
A press conference includes Q&A.
And why wouldn't you want to answer questions?
Quite clearly she is lying, as if she didn't know who he was.
She didn't want to be exposed in public.
What issue?
TaiwanIsNotChina
This isn't your russian scripted press conferences. A US Senator is allowed to be slightly boorish especially since the animals running the show didn't invite him to it in the first place.
DaDude
Yep, that is all that is happening. Source: That one picture on that one news source I read and you don't.
Blacklabel
let’s wait and see. they will likely just let it go.
The other Congressperson pushing federal agents around, not obeying commands and screaming got 3 indictments from a grand jury. Up to 17 years in prison.
regardless the planned behavior was a “stunt” and quite inappropriate and dangerous.
Underworld
Blacklabel
Not sure what you saw, but I clearly saw nobody rush the podium and his objections were because he was being pushed out of the room. Nothing less.
I instantly knew who he is.
What a weak lie that nobody knew who it was.
There was absolutely no aggressive behavior. Considering he was being manhandled, he showed amazing restraint.
Aggressive? Not at all. No security pin? Give me a break. Not following command of agents? They weren't commanding, they were pushing.
What law?
bass4funk
Being emotionally unstable
Yes
No, but I used to work for years at clubs when I was a university student as security and learned through the years, when a high-ranking person is present and there are people who potentially might or could harm this high-ranking person, you need to use every precautionary measure at your disposal to keep your patron safe, and as emotionally unstable the left is regarding the illegal situation, I would never take any chances.
Bob Fosse
So, again. What law did he break?
You watched the video? Was Padilla pushing agents around and screaming? No.
So, you’re off to a bad start. Try again.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I bet you actually believe this is a law.
Yes
I agree this is an illegal deployment of troops that has to be rectified in court.
bass4funk
Yes, security made that decision for him
Underworld
Blacklabel
What law did he break?
Fascist America. Asking questions of officials is banned.
Stunt? Dangerous? Oh please.
Underworld
bass4funk
Quite clearly a lie. No lunging at all.
Asking questions in fascist America is not allowed.
plasticmonkey
That’s not a law, lol
stormcrow
Gestapo!! Show me your papers, or face immediate deportation to El Salvador or Sudan, your choice!
Bob Fosse
Do you think ‘being emotionally unstable’ is a ‘law’? Or are you confused and think it is a crime?
Either way, you’re not making any sense at all.
bass4funk
When it comes to safety, yes
Yes
Yeah, the left can say that all day until the cows come home, once Newsom and Bass can guarantee that ICE agents will be protected and allowed to continue their jobs as instructed then you’ll see a pullback
Blacklabel
Leftists will try to just justify ANYthing these days, won’t they?
this is acceptable behavior, especially from a US Senator?
JJE
Fair to say she was puzzled when he loudly interjected. She was delivering set remarks (i.e. a speech) and he rudely interrupted. What he said was incoherent, adding to the confusion, as no one really had a clue who this guy was.
Never heard of him - I had to look up who he is (as did most people here). Honestly most wouldn't know him walking past him on the street.
Just because one gets appointed by Gavin to Harris's former seat doesn't equate to universal recognition or anything even close. Not a license to gatecrash speeches too.
Tokyo Guy
As long as she doesn't mean "liberate" in the way she "liberated" her dog.
Blacklabel
It’s a stunt, he already ran right to MSNBC:
“Sen Alex Padilla says law enforcement should have known he was a senator because he had a polo on that said he was a senator which was covered by his jacket.”
so he didn’t identify himself at first before he started screaming and acting aggressively.
He just expects they recognize him.
bass4funk
No, but you need to follow the law, emotional or not regardless.
Putting your hands on a law enforcement official is a crime and after the last 5 days of ( cough-peaceful protest) this administration is not going to take or give the left a chance, no way, and if they don’t like it, that’s on them.
Its the other way around.
bass4funk
The video says different
I heard that same sentence 4 years ago…interesting
Underworld
Blacklabel
Agreed. Asking questions of officials in today's fascist America is unacceptable.
JJE
Precisely - a stunt. Main photo has his 'senate polo' shirt, which was covered by his jacket (also visible). It is all on camera too.
JJE
Also, just happened to have his Senate aide on standby with camera rolling.
Underworld
Blacklabel
Why were they trying to remove him from the press conference?
He wasn't screaming nor acting aggressively.
Or maybe they ask him who he is? I wonder why they didn't think of that?
Underworld
bass4funk
Quite clearly a lie. No lunging at all.
Clearly, it doesn't.
asdfgtr
@JeffLee
Laughably incorrect.
Case in point: Trump wife #3, Melania Trump - a suspected illegal immigrant that MAGAts and their apologists refuse to deport to a foreign prison.
https://www.vox.com/2016/11/5/13533816/melania-trump-illegal-immigrant
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/report-melania-trump-worked-in-us-without-proper-permit/2016/11/05/3ddc5a8a-a302-11e6-a44d-cc2898cfab06_story.html
To the MAGATs and their apologists immigration status is just a pretence to get rid of brown people. What matters to them wealth and pure white racial status.
bass4funk
Ok, for you, but to me, he lunged.
Blacklabel
No idea who guy is or was.
he was appointed by Gavin, not even elected. super low name or face recognition.
So he was required to do this publicity stunt, get a reaction and then hit the liberal media circuit to incite the Dem street troops before the weekend.
lincolnman
Trump doing nothing but enflaming the situation and giving "protest porn" to Fox News to bamboozle and play his supporters, just like they did when they claimed Dominion engaged in election fraud....
The Demented Dimwit doing everything his Master in the Kremlin demands...to destroy our country...
Blacklabel
yep a guy taking a picture and video with another photographer actually in the picture with him above. Lol
Underworld
Blacklabel
Clearly.
Blacklabel
The new Democrat strategy is to get arrested on purpose and become “convicted felons” so that their 17% approval will go up to Trump’s 47.5%
not really gonna work though. Spartacus!
Bob Fosse
Oh. So fingers Boebert and the permanently aggressive MTG should have received the same treatment when they started screaming during the State of the Union speech?
No? Wrong colour? Wrong party?
Hypocrites.
Underworld
JJE
It wasn't a speech, it was a press conference.
Exercising his 1st amendment right to ask questions.
Doing his job by providing oversight for his constituents.
bass4funk
You're grasping a lot of straws today, wow!
wallace
Watch the video
Alex Padilla, CA Senator, thrown out for trying to ask DHS Secretary Noem questions
https://youtu.be/3Cv-TtudBPQ?si=BIXUfV7vgNAZ2UDP
Bob Fosse
I have all the cards. You have nothing, in it too long too late to turn back.
wallace
Blacklabel
Like Trump. A convicted felon.
DaDude
Do you have 100% evidence that this wasn't a political stunt/photo-op and he truly truly truly cares about this issue?
Blacklabel
“Convicted felon”.
Yet almost triple the approval of Democrat leaders and won the popular vote beating their “best candidate”.
“Convicted felon”- Under review to be thrown out, you been keeping up?
Underworld
DaDude
Clearly, it doesn't.
Yes.
bass4funk
Last November tells a very different story
Yawn, I see. Lol
Kabukilover
This is the worst I've seen thus far.. California is in a state of thuggery managed by Trump. If a state senator manhandled you can guess what ordinary citizens have to face.
lincolnman
The Liar-in-Chief caught in another straight-up falsehood...
“If we weren’t there, if we didn’t bring in the National Guard and the Marines, you’d probably have a city that was burning to the ground,” Trump claimed. “In fact, the police chief said as much. He said, ‘We’re very lucky to have had them.’”
But....
"The chief of the Los Angeles Police Department has shot down Donald Trump’s claim that he asked the president to send in the National Guard to help control immigration protests in the city.
Speaking to CNN, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the department was “not in a position” to make such a request and that they were “nowhere near” the stage where such action would be necessary."
So either Trump lied or Grandpa "imaged" he had a conversation...
Either one should result in his immediate impeachment...
bass4funk
Trump made the thugs riot and loot an Apple Store??? He made them loot jewelry stores?
California has been one of the worst SH states for a very long time now, Newsom and Dem radical progressive Marxist policies ran it into the ground.
Kabukilover
Errata. "f a state senator can be manhandled you can guess what ordinary citizens have to face."
Blacklabel
Only 4:56 into a 30 minute press conference isn’t Q&A time.
he couldn’t even have the common courtesy to LISTEN to the numerous speakers first.
disruptive stunt. They drug him out and kept right on presenting. Good job! Let him be a MSNBC martyr, even CNN said he got what he deserved based on his conduct.
JJE
Conduct indicative of the contemporary democrats. This guy thought he didn't need to wait like the rest of the assembled media to ask a question, who were waiting patiently for Noem to deliver her set remarks then have follow up questions. He thought he could jump ahead of everyone else because he is 'special' and has a privileged right to cause a scene. Congratulations, now he has his viral moment.
This is the precise mindset they apply to the illegal immigration debate at large. Some can jump the line at the expense of the many others diligently doing the right (and legal) thing. And if you hear something that triggers you or contradicting one's received wisdom, just enjoy watching some (other people's) cars peacefully burn and/or other stunts.
Tokyo Guy
he couldn’t even have the common courtesy to LISTEN to the numerous speakers first.
Why would he? If the dog executioner is involved, there will be nothing worth hearing anyway.
Blacklabel
Out of courtesy. It’s not his press conference.
5 minutes in he’s yelling and screaming and acting a fool. Then it’s “but im a senator” to try to escape consequences of his actions.
bass4funk
No, she told it like it was, very calmly and poignantly.
XCAndtheband
More MAGA in here just making up random stuff because they don’t care about actual law. “Do whatever I say, let me abuse your rights, or else I’ll arrest you.”
Anti-American MAGA will fall.
Underworld
Blacklabel
Oh, so it's moved from "he aggressively lunged" to "he wasn't courteous".
Blacklabel
Both. It’s not binary.
HopeSpringsEternal
People need to understand the 'motivation' behind Sanctuary Cities like LA. The business community, especially industries with unskilled workers, hugely benefits, with lower or no insurance costs, lower wages, less/no employee 'legal' risks and lower salaries.
Politicians LOVE power to 'enrich' businesses/see above and thus receive LOTS of $contributions and support from such businesses busy profiting by exploiting illegals
Above, WHY there is chaos in the streets in LA, which is easily largest business hub for US illegal alien workers.
Naturally, illegal alien criminals also love economies like LA, as there are plenty of other illegal aliens.
Finally, ICE under Biden Admin was non-existent in LA and now under Trump Admin, their sanctuary status is under threat and thus the "FIGHT" taking place on the street, within the media, between politicians like Gov. Newson, Mayor Bass and Trump etc.
HopeSpringsEternal
Most Americans want LEGAL vetted immigrants, much needed in many service industries like farming, hotels, restaurants, etc. and NOT Illegal Unvetted Illegal Aliens.
However, the legal status and vetting largely eliminates the business 'profit' and 'exploitation' opportunity they have so clearly $enjoyed for so long with illegal aliens
Thus, Trump and ICE and their legal efforts to enforce US immigration laws, are an existential threat to illegal alien business political 'gravy' $train of sanctuary cities like LA
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
Actually most people are OK with working undocumented immigrants.
And now Trump is backtracking and saying "Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace"
So now working undocumented immigrants are OK?
HopeSpringsEternal
US voters now and for next 3.5 years will be getting a very clear picture of the dystopian future, that Democrat elites would like to impose on the US, of open borders, unvetted illegal aliens, lawlessness and crime running amuck, like in LA and many other sanctuary cities
US Workers fully understand their wages and standards of living will be destroyed by Democratic policies pursued by Biden Admin of open borders and unvetted illegal aliens by exploited by business at their expense.
Fight in the streets of LA is really the 'tip' of the spear, the fight over the future of the US culture, whether it's based upon law and order, or just the opposite and US workers clearly supported Trump in Nov as a result.
XCAndtheband
Don’t expect a serious answer. These are unserious people making stuff up to justify their authoritarianism.
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump Admin busy expediting rules for hotels, farms, etc. to legally employ immigrants to obtain work visas in order to out of the shadows of being an undocumented illegal alien, busy being BADLY exploited by employers.
Meanwhile, ICE is busy trying to legally detain and deport dangerous public threats, illegal alien criminals and recover the nearly 500,000 missing illegal alien children trafficked into the US under the Biden Admin.
LA is simply ground zero for US illegal aliens, as detailed above, it's a VERY $profitable business model for business and politicians to exploit undocumented illegal aliens, some of whom are also dangerous criminals.
Hideyoshi.N
News report on TV say most American people support president Trump to stop and arrest the violent protester mob who atack police, burn cars, break and steal from shops and make trouble for everyone. Only 1/3 support protest. Police and National guard must continue do good job and keep city peaceful.
JeffLee
@TaiwanisnotChina
You call that "context"? LOL. I'd call that speculation based on flawed assumptions. Canada doesn't have an "undocumented" problem. Most of those laborers are on temporary worker visas, the kind of which most developed countries issue, like Japan. Call me old-fashioned, but I think that doing things the legal way is always better than the illegal one.
HopeSpringsEternal
Americans don't like at all that law enforcement and ICE are being attacked, US flags being burned.
Mayor of LA, Bass and Gov. of CA, Newsome claiming Trump that and his ICE illegal criminal alien deportation policies are the problem is absurd. As Americans want illegal aliens, especially criminals deported ASAP
Americans also want vetting of immigrants, as the open border unvetted immigrants have fueled crime and inflation. Many businesses need immigrants, but it must be done via a legal vetting process = Common Sense
rainyday
Trump, Musk and pretty much all of MAGA are in trouble if that will get you arrested.
bass4funk
They won’t, no worries
quercetum
From Hong Kong, I can tell you that you don't just wake up one day and start throwing bricks and molotov cocktails. These are organized and paid insurrectionists.
The thugs have stumbled upon a rather enviable side hustle—a profession so lucrative, it might just make the average wage earner reconsider their career choices. Instead of the dull grind of office work or retail drudgery, one might opt for the exhilarating life of waving placards, chanting slogans, setting cars on fire or maybe even inadvertently putting MAGA Trump stickers on the bumpers of EV's liberals drive.
Who is funding these people? Wake up America. Anna Paulina suggests the Communist Party of China.
Nothing like the blame game to go along with your flame claim.
JJE
Breaking news - Judge ruled against NG/marine deployments in LA but has given admin 24 hours to appeal and no restraining order.
bass4funk
It’s quite a few groups actually funding this, not all Chinese, many local homegrown organizations
quercetum
No laws were broken, officer, we were just... enthusiastically assembling!" If we stretch the definition of peaceful just far enough, we might just convince ourselves that smashing a window is simply an aggressive form of ventilation.
And blocking roads? Well, that’s just an impromptu traffic experiment, ensuring Californians get a refresher course on patience.
JJE
Update (look above) - Trump administration was ready and have already file an appeal.
XCAndtheband
When did Senator Padilla smash a window or block a road?
rainyday
Amused that you didn't push back on the argument that they were emotionally unstable.
itsonlyrocknroll
Chaos unfolds after Walz grilled on ICE Gestapo remarks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrS0jfD2pks&t=67s
Here the reason Tim Walz can never be trusted to protect American people communities. All in his own words.
bass4funk
They’re not, no reason to be, they have everything on their side.
itsonlyrocknroll
The Democratic Party are responsible for these terrify violent rioting, the destruction of LA, the years of open borders.
bass4funk
100% without a doubt. Anyone born and raised in California knows this.
HopeSpringsEternal
Unbelievable, extent to which Democratic party and business have exploited and profited TOGETHER from illegal alien immigrants for decades, but especially under the Biden Admin with its open borders free for all.
Trump knows vetted immigrants badly needed, especially in low skilled service industries, farming, etc., but that the process needs to include vetting, protecting these people with work visas so they're not exploited.
Trump and ICE simply trying to restore law and order, while the Gov. of CA and Mayor of LA demand Trump and ICE stop enforcing immigration laws = lawlessness
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
If Biden was open borders then why did he deport more people than Trump in his first term and current term?
lincolnman
This is what fascism looks like in real time...
Next we'll be seeing MAGA opponents falling out of 8th story windows...
MAGA-world - Making America Like Russia...
JeffLee
@asdfgtr
Of course! It's all conspirarcy to keep America "pure white"!!! (your words)
If that's the plan, it's a massive failure. The vast majority of legal immigrants coming to the US every year are people of color. Biggest source countries: Mexico, India, China, Philippines, El Salvador.
I looked down the list, and I don't see a single "pure white" country. So your "argument" (ie, conspiracy theory) is "pure fantasy."
bass4funk
The California Democrat assembly
Packing up to leaving the states
Even they have more freedom than California
HopeSpringsEternal
Everyone wants LEGAL vetted US immigration not unvetted illegal aliens, none more than 1st generation US immigrants, see below. CA is out of step with US voters.