Becerra Faces Scrutiny Over Immigrant Story in California Governor Race
Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra's narrative about his background drew criticism during a recent interview.
California gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra's emphasis on his background and identity during a recent interview has drawn renewed scrutiny regarding his family's immigration story. When asked by KCRA about how he would differ from his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, Becerra responded in Spanish before stating in English that his unique origins would be a key difference.
"If you want to know where a leader is going to take you, know where they’ve come from," Becerra said. "I don’t know if we’ve ever had a governor who comes from where I come from." He appeared to be referencing his potential to be the first Latino governor in modern California history, a state with a substantial Latino population.
When pressed by the reporter about being from Sacramento, Becerra clarified, "Well I come from — born and raised in Sacramento, but I mean in terms of my roots, my background, son of immigrants, working-class family, parents who never had a chance to step into a college classroom." He concluded that he is "his own person."
The exchange comes as critics have pointed to instances where Becerra has described his late father as an "immigrant," despite his father having been born in Sacramento in 1928. His father's family reportedly moved back to Mexico when he was a child, and he returned to California as a teenager. Becerra's mother was born in Mexico.
A spokesperson for Becerra's campaign, Jonathan Underland, stated that it is not uncommon for families to temporarily reside in their parents' home countries. However, conservative Latino activists and organizations have criticized Becerra's narrative, with some labeling it "immigrant stolen valor." Jesse Holguin, a former gang leader, suggested that Becerra uses this narrative to appeal to Latino voters.
Becerra currently leads in polls for the upcoming November election. A Public Policy Institute of California poll shows Becerra with 61% of likely voters, leading his Republican opponent Steve Hilton, who immigrated from the United Kingdom, by 24 percentage points.