Now the senior U.S. senator from California, Alex Padilla’s career in public service started amid intense fervor over immigration in the early 1990s. Now, it comes full circle.

Republicans continued to chastise Padilla, using words like "launch," "lunge" and "bum rush" to describe Padilla's behavior as he began to try to pose a question to Noem.

Calif., was forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday and detained after trying to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem."I am Sen.

Sen. Alex Padilla's detention by law enforcement at a DHS press conference sparked divided reactions, with most Republicans condemning his behavior.

Sen. Alex Padilla's staggering treatment, Trump tries to kill California auto emission standards and more big stories.

Longtime Republican strategist Sarah Longwell urged sitting senators in her party to defend Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), who was handcuffed and forcibly removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The senator is known on Capitol Hill for being kind and nerdy. His forcible removal from a news conference resonated as a call to action among Democrats.

Bay Area Republican strategist Matt Shupe described Padilla’s attempt to abruptly question Noem “pure political theatrics.”