The next is the transcript of an interview with Sen. Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on June 15, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’re joined now by California Senator Alex Padilla. Good morning and Completely happy Father’s Day to you.
SEN. ALEX PADILLA: Thanks. Thanks. Completely happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers on the market, and together with those that are most likely residing a bit bit fearful proper now due to what we’re seeing these more and more merciless and excessive immigration enforcement raids, however nonetheless, they are going to work making an attempt to offer for his or her households.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, I wish to ask you about your private expertise with a few of this, as lots of our viewers noticed that video of you being briefly detained whenever you had been making an attempt to get a query in to the Homeland Safety Secretary. There- her workplace later stated you spoke for almost quarter-hour afterwards. Did you get the reply to the query you had been making an attempt to ask? And what was it?
SEN. PADILLA: Sure- sadly, no. And so a bit little bit of context right here, the rationale I attempted to- the rationale I used to be on the press convention, it was at a scheduled briefing with representatives of Northern Command only a couple doorways down the corridor in the identical federal constructing once I realized of the press convention. My briefing delayed as a result of the parents I used to be supposed to satisfy with had been at that press convention. So I requested if we may hear in I used to be escorted over, and that is what I used to be doing. Why? As a result of for months and months, whether or not it is in committee, the Secretary herself testifying and never offering substantive solutions to questions, different representatives of the division, formal letters and inquiries that we have submitted, doing my job as a senator to get data as a part of our oversight and accountability accountability. So to have the ability to ask a query of the Secretary straight once they supplied the assembly after the incident, I took it. However sadly, no, nothing substantive, nothing informative–
MARGARET BRENNAN: She could not reply the query, or–
SEN. PADILLA: Both could not or would not. And albeit, that claims quite a bit, proper? When it comes to they type–
MARGARET BRENNAN: What was the query?
SEN. PADILLA: Nicely, amongst different issues, their justification for the federalization of the Nationwide Guard, not solely not obligatory, however counterproductive as we have seen this final week in Los Angeles, and likewise simply reality. You understand, for all of the discuss concerning the focus and focusing on of violent criminals, if that is all of the Trump administration was doing, there can be no debate. There isn’t any disagreement on that. However as you are listening to increasingly more tales of undocumented, long run residents of america who’re in any other case legislation abiding, working laborious, paying taxes, elevating households and, frankly, working in jobs that underneath the primary Trump administration, when the COVID pandemic hit, had been deemed important.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper
SEN. PADILLA: Proper? Staff in eating places, in agricultural fields, in well being care, building, and many others. That is who’s being focused now, and that is why there’s a lot concern and terror in communities, not simply in Los Angeles, however all through the nation,
MARGARET BRENNAN: So the overwhelming majority of immigrants in California, we went and we appeared on the stats. They’re on this nation legally, however Pew Analysis says your state has almost 2 million undocumented they usually make up about 7% of all the labor drive in a few of these farming and repair jobs that you just you talked about. Because the Trump administration this week advised ICE to tug again a bit with regards to enforcement. Do you see that as a step in the fitting route, and are you aware what triggered that call?
SEN. PADILLA: Yeah, so I do not know precisely what triggered that call. I am going to take it. Is it a step in the fitting route? It is not less than a child step. Let’s hope there’s extra to observe, as a result of they’re responding to what I and others have been saying for months and months and, frankly, years, going again to the primary Trump administration. You need stats. Let’s discuss stats. The state of California, probably the most populous state within the nation, probably the most numerous state within the nation, residence to extra immigrants than any state within the nation, largely documented, some undocumented. This is identical California that’s the largest financial system of any state within the nation, fourth largest financial system on the earth, not regardless of the immigrant inhabitants, however due to the contributions of so many immigrants as workforce, as shoppers and as entrepreneurs. So once more, give attention to the harmful, violent criminals. No disagreement there, however the people are in any other case legislation abiding, tax paying and enriching communities, there’s bought to be a greater means, a pathway in the direction of legalization, a pathway to citizenship for ‘Dreamers’, farm employees and others.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely that’s- that’s hoping for motion in Congress that might take a while. I did observe it was fascinating to see the- within the Home, the Republican Hispanic Convention, put forth a letter asking for a breakdown of what number of criminals had been amongst these really reported.
SEN. PADILLA: And that was one of many key questions they’d for the Secretary. After all, she had no information, had no reply. Promised to observe up. I hope, we’ll see. And I additionally wish to be clear about this, as a result of once I had the audacity to attempt to ask a query as a Senator of a Cupboard Secretary, that is what occurred. And also you noticed the response, all people’s seen the video, it wasn’t about me, proper? If that is how this administration responds to the Senator with a query, do not simply think about what they’re able to, however what they’re doing when the cameras are usually not there, to folks with out a title like United States Senator, that merciless, disrespectful remedy of so many individuals who deserve significantly better.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We see in our polling on the coverage entrance, we see in our polling that there nonetheless is broad assist for President Trump’s mass deportation coverage. Our final CBS ballot, as of final Sunday, confirmed 54% approval. There was an fascinating Washington Submit piece written by David Ignatius that was fairly sharp about Democrats saying that “They’ve gotten the border situation so flawed for therefore lengthy. It is political malpractice,” and that he was principally arguing Democrats are handing Trump the confrontation he wished with the army, citing actions through the first administration. Do you assume that he has some extent there?
SEN. PADILLA: I feel–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –As a result of the general public approval is so excessive in deportation.
SEN. PADILLA: It is determined by the way you ask the query. In the event you ask the identical folks, do they assume we must always preserve due course of in america of America, the reply is overwhelmingly sure. Do ‘Dreamers’ deserve higher than the limbo that they discover themselves in? Overwhelmingly, on a bipartisan foundation, sure. And so I feel it is vital to interrupt down three issues. Primary, do we want a secure and safe, orderly, humane border? Completely, no disagreement. Folks searching for to return to america, whether or not it is to hunt asylum on work items, and many others., we positively must modernize that system and be extra strategic in these capacities. However we won’t overlook the tens of millions of long run residents, individuals who have been right here, working, paying taxes, elevating households, shopping for houses, contributing to the power of our financial system. They deserve higher.
MARGARET BRENNAN
You’re the rating member on the Senate Guidelines Committee which oversees the Capitol Police. What if something are you able to inform us concerning the state of safety for lawmakers, given what’s occurring in Minnesota?
SEN. PADILLA
Look, loads of questions, loads of considerations, and work straight with each the US Capitol Police and the Senate Sergeant at Arms, they usually’re doing what they should do to make sure the protection of members of Congress. However I additionally assume it is greater than applicable to step again and say, why are tensions so excessive? Not simply in Los Angeles, however all through the nation. And I can not assist however level to the start of not simply the primary Trump time period, however the starting of the marketing campaign, the tone with which the President had launched his first marketing campaign for President, served all through his first time period, and continues on this time period, for a cupboard secretary throughout a press convention to not have the opportunity or be keen to de escalate a state of affairs once I was making an attempt to ask a query that is simply indicative–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –You wished her to say, wait a second, I do know who he’s. Relax. Let him go. Is that what you are saying?
SEN. PADILLA: The overwhelming majority of individuals in that room knew who I used to be. I used to be escorted into that room by an FBI agent and a Nationwide Guard’s member. It is the Los Angeles press corps. It stated United States Senate on the chest of my polo.
MARGARET BRENNAN” Senator Padilla, thanks for becoming a member of us in the present day.
