Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) said the removal of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security does not resolve what he described as deeper problems within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), stating that structural reforms are still needed to rein in immigration enforcement agencies.
Speaking with Nicolle Wallace on MS NOW, Padilla reflected on his past confrontation last summer with Noem during a press conference in Los Angeles, where he said he was forcibly removed by DHS personnel while attempting to ask questions. At the time, Padilla said the incident raised broader concerns about how immigration authorities treat individuals without the public scrutiny that comes with cameras and elected officials present.
“If this is how they’ll treat a senator trying to ask a question, imagine what’s happening when the cameras aren’t there,” Padilla said, referring to migrants and workers affected by the administration’s mass deportation policies.
Padilla said he had warned after the incident that enforcement tactics used in Los Angeles could spread to other cities. He pointed to subsequent operations in places including Chicago, Portland, and Minneapolis as evidence that the approach had expanded nationwide.
While welcoming Noem’s departure, Padilla argued that the leadership change alone would not address the larger issues he believes exist within the department. He said reforming enforcement practices at agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remains unresolved.
Padilla also linked the debate to the ongoing budget standoff over the DHS, which he noted remains the only federal agency without an approved budget. He suggested the impasse could be resolved if his colleagues in Congress agreed to policy changes aimed at ensuring enforcement actions comply with constitutional protections and the rule of law.
Padilla Discusses What’s Next After Noem’s Removal
Looking ahead to the confirmation process for Noem’s successor—who Trump announced will be Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)—Padilla said the Senate must treat hearings more seriously than it has in the past. He criticized what he described as perfunctory confirmation hearings for Trump’s nominees, stating that the “rubber-stamping” exhibited by Republicans has contributed to current problems plaguing the administration.
Accordingly, Padilla urged his Republican colleagues to exercise greater independence from the White House. While acknowledging the political pressures facing members of the president’s party, he said Congress remains a co-equal branch of government whose primary obligation is to the Constitution.
Asked by Wallace whether declining poll numbers for the president might push some Republican lawmakers to distance themselves from the administration, Padilla said political considerations may ultimately influence their behavior.
“If that’s what it takes to change some of their behavior, then I guess I’ll take it,” he said, though he added that he would prefer lawmakers act out of principle rather than self-preservation.
Padilla also warned that the administration’s criticism of election systems could undermine public confidence ahead of upcoming votes. He stated that protecting voting rights and constitutional protections, including the rights to protest and to be free from unlawful searches and seizures, should remain central priorities moving forward.
