Ex-Biden Official Claims Becerra Mocked Migrant Children

A former Biden administration official has accused Xavier Becerra, the current U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and a leading candidate for California governor, of disparaging migrant children by referring to them as "little Juanitos and Juanitas." The allegation has fueled concerns among Democratic insiders regarding Becerra's campaign and leadership capabilities.

"I never heard a single person disparage immigrant children," the former official told The California Post. "He was the only person who brazenly said, ‘these little Juanitos and Juanitas.’"

Becerra's campaign has vehemently denied the accusation, calling it "an outright fabrication" and attributing the criticism to "jealousy." The campaign also stated that Becerra accomplished more in Washington than most politicians and blamed the child migrant crisis on the Trump administration.

The allegation surfaced as concerns about Becerra's performance as health secretary during the migrant child crisis have been noted. According to the former official, during a White House Zoom call in March 2021, when departments were struggling to manage unaccompanied migrant children, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared emotional while describing the children's conditions. The source described Becerra's reaction during the call as having "dead-fish eyes" and lacking any visible emotion or response.

This incident follows previous scrutiny of Becerra's handling of migrant children. A 2023 New York Times investigation reported that Becerra had pushed staff to expedite placements, using an "assembly line" comparison. Additionally, The Post reported in August that approximately 330,000 cases involving children released during his tenure remained unresolved, with investigators identifying over 40 children who died after being processed by the agency.

According to the former Biden official, senior White House adviser Susan Rice frequently pressed Becerra for answers during meetings on the crisis, reportedly berating him in front of staff "at least once a week."

Some Democratic figures expressed doubts about Becerra's leadership. One former Biden administration colleague described his performance with a single word: "meh," adding, "His resume does more justice than his political skill and acumen." Another former colleague stated, "I do not think he is qualified to be the governor. I don’t think he’s qualified to be the boss of anything."

Within California politics, some have also expressed reservations. A Democratic state legislator commented that they were "not impressed" with Becerra's tenure as California attorney general, suggesting he frequently "deferred to staff" and avoided taking leadership roles beyond suing the Trump administration.

Despite these criticisms, Becerra's campaign has defended his gubernatorial agenda, highlighting proposals such as two hours of free electricity daily and down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. They have also credited him with contributing to the $35 insulin cap, negotiating prescription drug prices, and helping to pass the Affordable Care Act, though sources familiar with the ACA's passage dispute his claim of writing the legislation.

Becerra's campaign has been notably low-key. Democratic political consultant Steve Maviglio noted that Becerra has "been hidden and really hasn’t said much," expressing concern that "voters deserve to know what his vision is for the state."

Steve Hilton, the Republican challenger, has called Becerra an "empty suit" and stated that The Post's reporting aligns with his own observations during the race.

Conversely, some Democrats have defended Becerra. Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Labor Federation, described him as "engaged and persistent" during his time as attorney general, believing he would be "hands-on" with issues he prioritized. Former state Senator Steve Glazer characterized Becerra as "very serious and professional," with a methodical approach.

Pollster Paul Mitchell suggested that Becerra's reserved campaign strategy might be due to Democrats' voter registration advantage, which could allow him to win with a significant percentage of the vote without aggressive campaigning. Mitchell questioned the benefit of deviating from this strategy if the goal is to govern.

However, a lack of specific proposals for issues like housing, cost of living, and insurance affordability has drawn criticism, with one Democratic consultant stating, "If Xavier Becerra has any vision for Californians, he hasn’t shared it."