Here’s an updated and comprehensive biography of Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator from California:
Early Life & Education
- Full name: Alejandro “Alex” Padilla, born March 22, 1973, in Panorama City, Los Angeles. He is the son of Mexican immigrant parents—his father a line cook, his mother a house cleaner.
- Upbringing: Raised in Pacoima in a household that valued community service and education, he helped with neighborhood clean-ups and civic projects.
- Education: Graduated from San Fernando High (1990), then earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT (1994).
Early Career & Entry into Politics
- Worked as an engineer at Hughes Aircraft and later participated in the Coro Fellows Program.
- Inspired by California’s Proposition 187, which sought to exclude undocumented immigrants from public services, he became politically active in 1994.
Rise in California Politics
- Los Angeles City Council (1999–2006): Elected at 26, then chosen by peers as Council President—becoming the youngest and first Latino to hold that post. Served as Acting Mayor following 9/11.
- California State Senate (2006–2014): Authored over 70 laws—mandating calorie info on menus, banning plastic bags, modernizing rail systems, promoting clean energy, among others.
Secretary of State & U.S. Senate
- Secretary of State (2015–2021): California’s first Latino Secretary of State. Led voter-registration modernization, implemented automatic and same-day registration, and directed the Voter’s Choice Act. Voter registration reached historic highs.
- U.S. Senate (2021–present): Appointed by Gov. Newsom to fill Kamala Harris’s seat (Jan 20, 2021), and elected in 2022. He became the first Latino to represent California in the Senate.
- Chairs Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship & Border Safety.
- Serves on Budget; Energy & Natural Resources; Environment & Public Works; Judiciary; Rules; Homeland Security committees.
Policy Positions & Advocacy
- Immigration Reform: Introduced the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act; advocates strongly for Dreamers and comprehensive immigration legislation.
- Voting Rights & Democracy: Co-authored Freedom to Vote Act; led expansions for mail-in voting, registration access, and election security funding.
- Climate & Infrastructure: Championed the Green New Deal, Earthquake early warning systems, clean-energy measures, wildfire prevention funding, and modernized water and air safety measures.
Recent News Highlight
On June 12, 2025, Padilla was briefly handcuffed and removed by Secret Service at a press conference in Los Angeles where he pressed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on immigration policy. Video evidence showed he identified himself as a U.S. Senator. The incident sparked broad criticism from Democratic leaders and discussions about civil liberties and press access.
Personal Life
- Married to Angela Padilla; they have three sons—Roman, Alex Jr., and Diego—residing in the San Fernando Valley.
Summary
Alex Padilla is an MIT-educated engineer turned powerhouse Democrat who climbed from local leadership to national prominence. His career reflects a dedication to immigrant rights, voting access, climate policy, and infrastructure. As California’s first Latino U.S. Senator, he has cemented his influence on key legislative fronts, earning respect as a consensus-builder and community advocate.