In a briefing hosted by American Community Media on July 14, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) delivered a powerful message for women, families, and immigrant communities: be informed, stay connected, and speak out.
“Since the beginning of this year, clearly living in a different time, a different political climate,” Padilla said. “It seems like a very different world.”
Citing an increase in aggressive immigration enforcement tactics and federal overreach, Padilla warned that “we’re facing mass deportations and even more fear-mongering,” including operations that have left people unaccounted for and families separated.
At the heart of his message was a focus on safety, particularly for communities with mixed-status families and working mothers navigating fear. “No one should have to wake up one morning and fear that they’re being kidnapped by masked strangers,” he said.
Padilla introduced new legislation—The VISIBLE Act—to require immigration officers to wear visible identification and to ban the use of non-medical face coverings during enforcement.
“There’s been reported instances of people impersonating ICE officers,” he explained. “That is a very big public safety concern for the community and for the agents themselves.”
His own experience underscored the urgency. While attending a press event held by the Secretary of Homeland Security in Los Angeles, Padilla was forcibly removed and handcuffed.
“Not just being physically forced out of the room but put on the ground and handcuffed,” he recounted. “If this is how this administration responds to a United States senator who wants to ask a question, then we can only imagine what else they’re willing to do.”
For women raising children and supporting loved ones, Padilla’s concerns are deeply personal. When asked about raids that reportedly left people missing in agricultural areas like Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, Padilla stressed the importance of family members and community groups sharing information: “The more we know of specific people that we are looking for… that helps us locate somebody sooner rather than later.”
Padilla offered reassurance, urging women and families to stay informed. “Know your rights,” he said. “Everybody has due process rights in the United States… like, not needing to talk to an ICE agent. If they don’t have a warrant signed by a judge, [you have] the ability to talk to an attorney before you sign any documentation.”
He reminded communities that “there’s a lot of advocacy organizations providing that type of legal support and advice,” and that collective pressure makes a difference.
When asked about threats to strip U.S. citizenship from individuals—citing a case involving actress Rosie O’Donnell—Padilla cautioned against panic, but acknowledged the concern. “Do I think he will end up taking citizenship away from U.S. Citizens? I don’t think so. That is an extreme of an extreme tactic,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean they’re not gonna try.”
To those feeling powerless or unheard, Padilla offered a clear path forward: “We can’t lose faith. Right? This country and our democracy is worth fighting for.”
And while the senator acknowledged frustrations with how little some in Congress can do under the current Republican majority, he emphasized that change is still possible: “The ultimate political pushback is going to be at the ballot box next year.”
He ended with a call to action: “People who are eligible to vote, they have to register… talk to your friend, talk to your neighbor, talk to a coworker, talk to a family member who may not be registered.”
