Becerra Camp Responds to Accusations of Misrepresenting Father's Immigration Status
The California governor candidate's team clarifies his father's history amid criticism from Steve Hilton.
Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate for California governor, is addressing claims that he has misrepresented his family's immigration history. The controversy arose after conservative critic Steve Hilton pointed out that Becerra's late father, Manuel Guerrero Becerra, born in Sacramento, was referred to as an "immigrant." Hilton, who is himself an immigrant, suggested Becerra had distorted his family's background.
Becerra's campaign has pushed back against these accusations, providing further details about his father's life. Manuel Guerrero Becerra was born in Sacramento in 1928 and was one of eight children. According to an online obituary, his family moved back to Mexico when he was a child, and he lived in Tijuana before returning to California as a teenager.
During his return to California as a youth, the elder Becerra, according to the obituary, encountered educational systems that made little effort to teach "migrant" children, but employers were eager to hire him. He later worked in a cannery and as a railroad construction worker. Becerra's mother, Maria Teresa, was born in Guadalajara.
Jonathan Underland, a spokesperson for Becerra, stated that it is not uncommon for individuals in immigrant families to be born in one country and raised in another. He suggested that Hilton's criticism targets immigrants who do not fit his perceived mold. Underland also linked Hilton's comments to broader anti-immigrant sentiment and a recent controversial campaign ad by Hilton.
Hilton, a native of London, became a U.S. citizen in 2021. His parents were born in Hungary.
The exchange comes as the race for California governor intensifies. While Becerra has maintained a lead in polls, a recent poll commissioned by Hilton's campaign indicated a tightening of the race following a debate that covered immigration, gas prices, and taxes. The poll, conducted by David Wolfson, surveyed 1,020 California voters, showing Becerra with 45.7% support and Hilton with 40.1%, with 14.1% undecided.