Overview
- During a June 20 press conference in Los Angeles, Vice President JD Vance referred to Sen. Alex Padilla as “Jose Padilla,” a week after Padilla was forcibly removed from a DHS briefing.
- Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass condemned the incident as a deliberate slight and challenged Vance to explain his remarks in a public debate.
- Vance defended President Trump’s deployment of roughly 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines, saying their presence was necessary to restore order during protests over ICE raids.
- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the federalization of the Guard was “likely legal,” allowing troops to remain in Los Angeles while California’s lawsuit proceeds.
- Sen. Padilla urged the administration to prioritize community safety and immigrant rights, and activists have pressed for greater oversight of enforcement tactics.