California Sen. Alex Padilla interrupted — and was pushed out of — a press briefing where Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem was describing the attacks on federal police forces by California rioters.

UPDATE: DHS made a statement about the incident, saying that “Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands,” and that the Secret Service “acted appropriately”:

Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem. Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands.

@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting.

Padilla is the son of illegal migrants and is an advocate for more immigration into Americans’ communities, workplaces, and homes.

“Many of the [ICE] agents have been doxxed for doing their duty,” Noem said as Padilla was pulled out of the room.

WATCH:

The arrests come as Democrats try to escalate the political conflict caused by their massive resistance to President Donald Trump’s 2024 mandate to enforce the nation’s popular border laws. 

Democrats have defended Padilla.

“This isn’t just shocking, it’s a threat to the rule of law and democratic accountability,” said a tweet from Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA). 

On Wednesday, Padilla spoke at an investor-staged press briefing outside the Senate where he urged a legal amnesty for youth and children brought into the United States by their illegal-migrant parents.