Alex Padilla
DI’m proud to be an American. https://t.co/1HgM4mHGcS
https://t.co/JhkKiIUbSb
Speaking up is a constitutional right. In Trump’s America, it’s treated like a crime. They won’t silence us. Keep speaking out! https://t.co/yA8cJYjNT1
TODAY, Trump’s DOJ is trying to bully California to PURGE names from the voter rolls, based on unreliable data, less than three weeks before the election. The threat? Comply, or face a federal lawsuit, and ballots from those on the list could be withheld from being counted. But the Constitution is clear: Donald Trump doesn’t run California’s elections, and we will fight this overreach every step of the way.
I want YOU to be able to travel easier! Anyone who's flown through Hollywood Burbank Airport knows it’s one of the best ways to get in and out of LA. Now, with the support of federal funding, which I helped secure, Burbank’s brand new terminal is open -- making an already great airport even better.
Protecting our environment is patriotic.
Pete, what is wrong with you? Nidal Hasan MUST face justice for his crimes. But turning his execution into a livestreamed spectacle? That is the kind of barbarism we have always condemned, and it is absolutely NOT something the United States should engage in. Hegseth needs to go.
I want to make life better for communities like the one I grew up in. I know what it’s like to grow up in a place where you don’t see yourself represented in government, or where your neighborhood can sometimes feel like it’s being left behind.
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FACT: Weaponizing the DOJ to go after political opponents is an abuse of power. What President Trump did this weekend was about scaring people into staying quiet when they disagree with him. That’s un-American. We will not be intimidated into silence by a FAILURE of a President desperate to hold onto power.
El Niño has hit California hard with significant flooding, and we know more severe weather is on the way. I visited the Emergency Operation Center in Los Angeles County to see how local officials are getting ready for the next storm, including the incoming Santa Ana winds this week. Thankful for the teams working hard to keep us safe!
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor the Tribal governments and the Indigenous communities across the country that have survived and continue to persevere through ongoing challenges. As we stand in solidarity, I’m making sure California Tribes are protected by ensuring ancestral lands are restored back to Tribal ownership – the original stewards of the land. Here are my previous and ongoing efforts with California Tribal Nations to PROTECT their land: · Establishment of Sáttítla Highlands National Monument · Establishment of Chuckwalla National Monument · Addition of Molok Luyuk to the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument · Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act · Agua Caliente Land Exchange Fee to Trust Confirmation Act · Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act · Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act · Recreation and Public Purposes Tribal Parity Act · Pit River Land Transfer Act · Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act · Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Land Exchange Act · Pechanga Band of Indians Land Transfer Act
CALLING ALL CALIFORNIA VOTERS... Ballots have been sent to you in the mail! Make sure you return your ballot by mail or return it to your nearest drop box by Election Day on November 3rd. It's time to make your voices heard and finally demand accountability from this administration.
So Trump’s DOJ is investigating networks for standing up to his administration’s attacks. Freedom of the press? #FirstAmendment
Over 1 MILLION public comments opposing Trump’s attack on the Roadless Rule. Americans are UNITED in protecting our public lands. I led California’s congressional delegation in demanding Trump to back off. Our forests belong to ALL OF US. Not those looking to cash in on them.
At the Democratic Volunteer Center in California, I met people giving their time to make sure every voter has the tools and support to be heard. Sign up to volunteer to fight Trump's Prop 39 power grab in California.👇🏾 https://t.co/hPVKhpXeCz https://t.co/VljqUW2uDI
Wishing a happy birthday to my friend and our Governor @GavinNewsom, who is leading California in the fight against the Trump Administration’s cruel agenda. Instead of cake and candles, let’s celebrate by donating to @FaithinValley, which is on the frontlines standing up for Central Valley families facing Trump’s indiscriminate ICE raids. https://t.co/XPrBer8YQg
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I visited Los Angeles County emergency operations officials to discuss preparations for El Niño and the risk of severe flooding across California. State and local emergency teams are coordinating response efforts and preparing resources to protect our communities. Don’t wait until disaster strikes. Sign up for emergency alerts, make a plan, and get ready before the storm hits: https://t.co/DL9RKgLc9j
I want to make life more affordable, government and voting more accessible, and the American Dream more achievable for ALL.
https://t.co/42uNkPHqBp
LOS ANGELES, CA — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Immigration Subcommittee, conducted an unannounced oversight visit yesterday to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holding facility at the federal Edward R. Roybal Building in downtown Los Angeles, where he learned that immigration proceedings are being conducted hidden away from public view in the building’s B-18 basement area. These hearings are taking place in the basement despite the existence of an immigration court in the same building on the fourth floor. Proceedings in immigration court are generally open to the public, with limited exceptions. The building’s B-18 area is not accessible to the public, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability as this Administration continues to carry out its mass deportation agenda. The visit comes as the Trump Administration reportedly launched a 45-day immigration enforcement surge in California, raising urgent questions about yet another expansion of federal immigration enforcement and the transparency and due process afforded to people in government custody. This marks Padilla’s second unannounced visit to an immigration detention facility in as many weeks as he continues to conduct oversight of the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement operations across California. “The Trump Administration is ramping up its indiscriminate immigration enforcement across California, and we know what that means: arrest first, questions later — even for people with legal status and, in some cases, U.S. citizens,” said Senator Padilla. “That’s why these oversight visits are so important. We need to know what’s happening behind closed doors inside these detention facilities. The fact that immigration proceedings are taking place in the basement of a federal building that is not easily accessible by the public raises serious questions about transparency, access to legal representation, and due process for people in government custody. As a United States Senator, I have a constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight and hold this Administration accountable. I will continue showing up, asking questions, and demanding answers about how ICE and this Administration are treating people and whether their rights are being respected.” The Trump Administration’s expanding immigration crackdown has raised growing concerns about the treatment of people detained by federal immigration authorities, the conditions in which they are held, and the lack of transparency surrounding enforcement operations. Padilla has repeatedly conducted oversight visits to immigration detention facilities across California to examine conditions firsthand and demand accountability from federal officials. His visits have included facilities in California City, Otay Mesa, San Francisco International Airport, and now downtown Los Angeles. These efforts come as the Trump Administration expands its immigration crackdown while providing limited transparency into its enforcement and detention operations. You can download b-roll of the Senator’s unannounced visit here. ###
NEW: I made an unannounced visit to an ICE holding facility in downtown Los Angeles as the administration reportedly launches its 45-day immigration surge. While there, I learned that court proceedings are being held in the facility’s basement, which raises serious concerns. I also met someone searching for a family member detained outside an elementary school, where agents smashed a car window, even though the family member had authorization to remain in the country. We deserve answers about what’s happening behind closed doors. I’ll keep showing up to demand accountability and ensure people in detention are treated with dignity and have access to basic necessities and legal counsel.
8 more wins!
Legislation would strengthen federal protections for copper, fiber, and coaxial cables WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced the Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act, bipartisan legislation to combat the growing problem of theft and vandalism targeting critical infrastructure used to provide telecommunications and information services. The bill would strengthen federal protections for critical communications networks by making the willful or malicious theft, destruction, or damage of copper, fiber, and coaxial cables used to provide telecommunications and information services a federal criminal offense. “Californians and consumers across the country deserve protection from the critical infrastructure attacks that have driven up service costs and disrupted internet service,” said Senator Padilla. “When critical infrastructure is vandalized, communities immediately feel the impacts — emergency phone calls are disrupted, communications networks experience widespread outages, and public safety is put at risk. Our bill would ensure protections for critical infrastructure across the state and country, strengthen connections across communities, and hold those who steal or vandalize such infrastructure responsible.” “Missouri families and businesses rely on broadband every day, and when critical infrastructure is vandalized or stolen, they are the ones who ultimately pay the price through service disruptions and higher costs. My bill gives law enforcement another tool to protect the infrastructure that keeps communities connected and holds those who deliberately damage these networks accountable,” said Senator Schmitt. California has experienced numerous incidents of theft and vandalism at critical communications sites. Such incidents can disrupt essential internet service and result in costly repairs that are often ultimately borne by consumers through higher service costs. Last year, California had the most attacks on communications networks in the country, with more than 6,000 incidents reported and an estimated $252.6 million in losses. Los Angeles alone experienced a reported 1,131 attacks, the most of any city in the country. The Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act would amend Section 1362 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which imposes penalties for vandalizing certain federal communications facilities. The legislation would expand the law to cover privately-operated facilities used to provide telecommunications and information services. Specifically, the Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act would: Protect critical infrastructure: Explicitly includes copper, fiber, and coaxial cables used to provide telecommunications and information services within Section 1362’s purview; Cover privately owned networks: Extends federal protections to facilities operated by private entities, including privately-owned broadband networks; Penalize theft and vandalism: Imposes criminal penalties for the willful or malicious injury, destruction, or theft of covered copper, fiber, and coaxial cables, as well as attempts or conspiracies to commit those offenses; and Protect lawful activities: Maintains protections for certain lawful concerted activities and excludes customer premises equipment from the new provisions. “We applaud Sens. Schmitt and Padilla for introducing the Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act, building important bipartisan, bicameral momentum to address the growing threat of vandalism to our nation’s critical communications infrastructure,” said NCTA, The Internet & Television Association. “These networks are essential to public safety, national security, and daily life, yet increasing copper theft and intentional damage are disrupting emergency services, harming communities, and leaving consumers without vital connectivity. Strengthening federal law with tougher deterrents and penalties will help protect these critical networks and the millions of Americans who rely on them every day.” “America’s wireless networks must not only be built and operated effectively, but also protected,” said Kelly Cole, Senior VP of Government Affairs of CTIA. “Vandalism and theft are a growing reality impacting our critical infrastructure, and this legislation is a meaningful step toward deterring these crimes and holding bad actors accountable. We thank Senators Schmitt and Padilla for their leadership on this important issue and look forward to working with Congress to keep our networks safe and secure.” “We’re grateful to Senators Schmitt and Padilla for stepping up to protect the critical communications networks Americans rely on every day,” said Spectrum. “The Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act takes meaningful action to update federal law to ensure all networks are protected.” “We appreciate the leadership of Senators Schmitt and Padilla in introducing the Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act,” said Elad Nafshi, Chief Network Officer of Comcast. “America’s broadband networks are the backbone of our small businesses, hospitals, schools, and homes, and this legislation is an important step to securing them.” Full text of the bill is available here. ###