California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla is doubling down on his calls for the Trump Administration to remove military forces from Los Angeles.
Senator Padilla, along with fellow Democrats, sent a letter to President Donald Trump– writing, in part:
The senators expressed concerns that “Sending military forces into American cities without consulting the Governor and local authorities is a dangerous abuse of federal power that has actively hindered local law enforcement’s ability to maintain peace and order.”
They further emphasized that “Deploying military personnel should be a last resort—not a first step—and should only occur when local law enforcement specifically requests such federal resources. Using military personnel to create a spectacle has escalated tensions on the ground, confused local law enforcement, diverted military assets from critical missions, and wasted taxpayer money.”
This statement was released shortly after Sen. Padilla’s forceful detainment by Secret Service agents, as he attempted to disrupt a press conference held by United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
US Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed after interrupting news conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The senator said he was trying to speak out about ICE detaining immigrants without criminal records.
Padilla and the democrat’s letter comes ahead of Tuesday’s court hearing — over the Trump Administration’s use of the California National Guard.
Last week, an appeals court blocked a federal judge’s ruling — ordering control of the National Guard be returned to the state.
One political science expert tells us — no matter what the courts decide this week — there’s still one big looming question.
“At some point, we will get to a point that the president wants to do one thing and the courts want to do another, and what happens if the president doesn’t comply. That’s the constitutional crisis a lot of folks are worried about,” said Melissa Michelson, political science professor at Menlo College.
After last week’s ruling, Governor Newsom said he was still confident the court would side with California.
You can read the full letter here.
Copyright © 2025 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
