Sen. Alex Padilla on being handcuffed for asking about ICE raids
Senator Alex Padilla joins David and Jesse Dollemore for an interview at the Capitol
In this wide-ranging interview, Senator Alex Padilla discusses a troubling incident in which he was handcuffed while trying to attend a Homeland Security press conference—a moment he sees not as an isolated overstep, but part of a broader erosion of democratic norms under the Trump administration. Padilla, who was escorted by federal agents and clearly identified as a sitting senator, was forcibly restrained after attempting to ask a question. He frames the incident as emblematic of a dangerous trend: disregard for due process, defiance of court orders, and the suppression of dissent. He highlights that if a U.S. senator can be treated this way, it’s alarming to consider how ordinary citizens—particularly immigrants and people of color—might be treated out of public view.
Padilla also expresses deep concern about the authoritarian direction of the administration, drawing parallels to 20th-century regimes that targeted political opponents and marginalized communities. He criticizes Republican colleagues for privately expressing concern while remaining publicly silent due to political pressure from Trump and MAGA extremism. He also faults corporate media for failing to adequately cover the gravity of these developments, arguing that alternative outlets are increasingly vital for transparency. Despite the bleak outlook, Padilla emphasizes the importance of continued civic engagement and holding power accountable.
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I hear your frustration. No, I do want you stroke us, so that we feel less bad about what's happening. I subscribe (and will continue to do so) because you give us your insight as what's actually going on. (Not what we wish were going on.)
Yes, you're getting messages that seem like people (including your real audience) want to be spoonfed feel-good-pablum. Unfortunately, the internet has removed many people's filters and no one seems to be able to "take a beat" anymore.
Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing the right thing, I think you just need some affirmation. Hopefully you take this as such.
When power stops pretending it plays by the rules, the mask slips for everyone—not just the targeted. What happened to Senator Padilla wasn’t an outlier; it was a preview.
And this is how erosion works: not all at once, but through repeated demonstrations that even visible powerholders aren’t safe from erasure when they speak outside the line. If this can happen to a senator mid-question, what happens to someone without the cameras?
I wrote about the mechanics of distortion—how language and legality get redefined to justify force while maintaining plausible deniability. It’s not just a political story. It’s a consciousness one. And we’re all living inside of it.
Thank you for bringing this to light with the seriousness it deserves.