[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 101 (Thursday, June 12, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3370-S3371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              ALEX PADILLA

  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I have given a lot of speeches on this 
floor, and this is the least prepared but the most clear I ever will 
be: This is the stuff of dictatorships. It is actually happening.
  A U.S. Senator was manhandled, shoved to the ground, and cuffed. He 
identified himself:

       I am Senator Alex Padilla.

  That should be enough. That should be enough. A U.S. Senator who is, 
by the way, protected by the speech and debate clause of the 
Constitution of the United States and a specific statute that allows 
him to oversee immigration facilities, and he says: I am a Senator, and 
I have a question.
  To Chris Murphy's point, they said, well, he was being disrespectful. 
Being disrespectful is legal. Being disrespectful is American. Being 
disruptive is OK if it is just using your words and not your body. This 
is the stuff of dictatorships. And the thing that is making me most 
terrified is I see zero Republicans, except for the Presiding Officer, 
in this Chamber. And I understand, if it is not a member of your own 
party, you want some context.
  There is no context that justifies this action.
  Alex Padilla is not required to be impeccable in every single way in 
order

[[Page S3371]]

to exercise his responsibilities as an American and as one of the two 
that represents California in the U.S. Senate. This is the stuff of 
dictatorships.
  One of the officers who throws him to the ground as he is clearly 
complying, cuffs him face down on the carpet, and they say: There is no 
recording in here.
  It is a damn press conference. It is for recording. They didn't want 
to hear his speaking.
  And if the internet has got it accurately, the Secretary was there 
and delivering her remarks within earshot the whole time. She has 
command authority over those agents who are arresting a leader in the 
legislative branch.
  This is not something on the internet for us to argue about. We all 
know what we saw. We all know what we saw. I remain hopeful that Leader 
Thune and other Republicans can walk us back from the brink, but I am 
not so sure anymore.
  So as Trump's Department of Homeland Security raises the stakes and 
continues with a series of provocations to justify increasingly 
authoritarian actions, we have two obligations. One is to establish 
that as a legislative branch, we are not going to stand for this. And 
the other is those people who are peacefully protesting: Be very 
disciplined this weekend. Be very peaceful this weekend.
  If we are going to win, we need to maintain the high ground. And I 
don't mean we blue; we Democrats. I mean we Americans who believe in 
this system of government. I have never, ever--other than January 6--
been so outraged at the conduct of an administration.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.

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