Alex Padilla on Law Enforcement

Disputes over the policies, conduct, and oversight of law enforcement agencies.

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

2 statements on this page. Dates: September 21, 2026

2 matching statements. Dates: September 21, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: September 21, 2026

Alex Padilla
Role at the time: Member of the United States Congress
September 21, 2026Condemned
Statement summary
Sen. Alex Padilla said the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez should not have happened and called for an independent and transparent investigation.
“ICE can’t keep shooting people in our communities without any consequences. I’m calling for an independent and transparent investigation because this should have never happened to 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a DoorDash driver who was trying to make a delivery.”
Read the original post

Sen. Alex Padilla calls for an independent investigation of the Garces Perez shooting · Alex PadillaFull X post, published September 21, 2026 at 9:18 p.m. UTC

In a direct post, Sen. Alex Padilla called for an independent and transparent investigation into the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez and said it should not have happened.

Why we used this label

On whether ICE's use of force should be condemned or condoned, Padilla directly condemns it: he says ICE "can’t keep shooting people in our communities without any consequences" and that the shooting "should have never happened" — an express evaluation that the force used was wrongful, not merely a process complaint.

Read statement Should ICE's use of force in the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez be condemned or condoned?

Alex Padilla

Role at the time: Member of the United States Congress

September 21, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

Sen. Alex Padilla said ICE shootings cannot continue without consequences and called for an independent and transparent investigation into the Garces Perez shooting. His call rejects reliance on a DHS-led inquiry alone.

“ICE can’t keep shooting people in our communities without any consequences. I’m calling for an independent and transparent investigation because this should have never happened to 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a DoorDash driver who was trying to make a delivery.”

Read the original postSen. Alex Padilla calls for an independent investigation of the Garces Perez shooting · Alex PadillaFull X post, published September 21, 2026 at 9:18 p.m. UTC

In a direct post, Sen. Alex Padilla called for an independent and transparent investigation into the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez and said it should not have happened.

Why we used this label

DHS's account of the shooting and its choice to have HSI lead the investigation. Padilla says ICE "can't keep shooting people... without any consequences" and calls for an "independent and transparent investigation," rejecting a DHS/ICE-led inquiry as sufficient. That's a direct rejection of DHS's chosen investigative process, so condemns holds.

Read statement Should DHS lead the investigation of the ICE shooting of a delivery driver in Austin?