The Attempted Silencing of Sen. Padilla Exposes Administration's Fear
NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: ATTEMPTED SILENCING OF SEN. PADILLA EXPOSES ADMINISTRATION'S FEAR
NEW YORK (June 12, 2025) — National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to federal law enforcement agents shoving Sen. Alex Padilla from a news conference, slamming him to the floor and handcuffing him:
"A clampdown on free speech is not only a hallmark of an aspiring tyrant, but also a clear sign of a regime that fears the truth. The administration's attempts to justify its unlawful, unconstitutional, and disastrous campaign of forced removals and disappearances – not lawful deportation policies -- and its violent crackdown on dissent can't withstand even the slightest scrutiny. The violently hysterical reaction to Sen. Padilla's attempted questioning shows that Secretary Noem is well aware.
"As champions of freedom of expression and the rule of law, the National Urban League takes heart in the near-universal condemnation of the administration's thuggish behavior. FBI and Secret Service agents, even those in the Trump administration, are sworn to uphold the law, not to enforce the whims of insecure bullies.
"The effort to silence Sen. Padilla has only amplified his voice and the voices of those who stand with him, as we do."