1. United States
2. Ind.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep alarm and outrage over the treatment of Senator Alex Padilla during a press conference in a federal building in California. Senator Padilla, in the course of doing his job and advocating for his constituents, was clearly identified, calm, and respectfully attempting to ask a question of Secretary Noem — and yet he was detained without explanation and ultimately removed from the room. This is not only unacceptable — it is unconstitutional. Senator Padilla had every right to be there, and the refusal to answer his calls or questions, followed by physically detaining him, is an assault on democratic norms and an affront to the people of California. His concerns were entirely valid: the unauthorized deployment of the National Guard and military presence in California for mostly peaceful protests of how immigrants and citizens are being treated across the country, especially in LA recently. Bringing in the National Guard and millions was not request of Governor Gavin Newsom or Mayor Karen Bass — is an act of dangerous federal overreach. The same concerning actions are taking place in New York and other states. This behavior is outrageous, unlawful, and un-American. It violates our Constitution, disregards state and local authority, and threatens the safety of communities across the country. I strongly urge you to: *Publicly condemn the detainment of Senator Padilla and other members of congress. *Demand full accountability for all individuals involved in this incident and other incidents. *Oppose any attempt to deploy military forces to states without proper local authorization. *Stand firmly against this authoritarian abuse of power. This is not just about one senator — this is about protecting our democracy and standing up for the rule of law. I expect you to act swiftly and publicly in defense of these values.