Poder Latinx Condemns Treatment of Sen. Padilla After Alarming Incident at DHS Event

Washington, DC — Poder Latinx strongly condemns the unacceptable and aggressive treatment of Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) earlier today at a Department of Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles, CA. The sight of a sitting U.S. Senator, one of the most prominent Latino leaders in the country, being forcibly detained—including being handcuffed and handled with unnecessary force—simply for seeking accountability is alarming, disgraceful, and deeply un-American.

Yadira Sánchez, Executive Director of Poder Latinx, issued the following statement:

“What happened to Senator Padilla is an attack on democratic values and a disgraceful display of intimidation. He was exercising his duty to ask tough questions on behalf of his constituents, and instead of answers, he was met with force. The shock and outrage over this incident stem not only from who was targeted, but how. The fact that a U.S. Senator can be handcuffed simply for seeking accountability speaks volumes about how immigrants and non-citizens are treated. It’s a chilling reminder of the double standards in our system, where force is used to silence, rather than listen. Poder Latinx stands with Senator Padilla and demands accountability from those who allowed this abuse of power to happen. Our communities are watching, and we will not be silenced.”

Poder Latinx  urges all elected leaders—regardless of party—to speak out against this dangerous precedent. The violent overreach against an elected official sets a chilling tone for anyone daring to demand answers from those in power.

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