Xavier Becerra’s father was born in Sacramento, California, and his family moved back to Mexico when he was a child, according to his obituary. That fact contradicts Becerra’s own public claims that his father was an “immigrant.”
Becerra is the Democratic governor running for re-election in California. His father, Manuel Guerrero Becerra, was born in Sacramento in 1928 as the eldest of eight children. The family moved back to Mexico when he was a child, living in Tijuana before returning to California as a teen. The obituary states he later worked at a cannery and as a railroad construction worker.
His father died in 2020. Becerra’s mother Maria Teresa was born in Guadalajara.
Conservative critic Steve Hilton took aim at Becerra on X, calling him a “smug, arrogant, machine politician” and suggesting he had fudged his family history. Hilton wrote: “Unlike Xavier Becerra, I am an immigrant. Unlike Xavier Becerra, my father was an immigrant. My stepfather too. My whole family.”
Hilton was born in London and became an American citizen in 2021. His parents were born in Hungary.
Becerra’s Campaign Pushes Back
Becerra’s campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland defended the governor’s framing. He said temporary moves back to parents’ home countries are common in immigrant families.
Underland quoted Becerra as saying “Steve Hilton doesn’t seem to have a problem with immigrants who look like him — but openly attacks immigrants who look like Xavier Becerra.” Underland also said Trump “ignited a deep anti-immigrant animus among MAGA voters, and Hilton is tapping into that as he scrambles to distract from his bizarre ad campaign that alienated some of his closest allies.”
Hilton recently ran a lesbian-themed ad that upset some conservatives.
The Race Numbers
A poll taken Oct. 1-2 by pollster David Wolfson, commissioned by Hilton’s campaign, surveyed 1,020 California voters. It found Becerra with 45.7% support, Hilton with 40.1%, and 14.1% undecided.
The poll was released Sunday. The race tightened after a Sept. 30 CNN debate between the two candidates, which covered immigration, gas prices, taxes, and Hilton’s endorsement from President Donald Trump, who is very unpopular in California.
Becerra has held few press events since winning the June primary and has maintained a steady lead in the governor’s race.
The Family Histories
| Candidate | Father’s Birthplace | Mother’s Birthplace |
|---|---|---|
| Xavier Becerra | Sacramento, CA | Guadalajara |
| Steve Hilton | Hungary | Hungary |
| Claim | Becerra’s Position | Hilton’s Position |
|---|---|---|
| Father was an immigrant | Defended as common in immigrant families | Criticized as fudging history |
| Family moved to Mexico | Supported as family history | Questioned as political framing |
| Immigration wedge issue | Framed as Trump-stoked animus | Used as direct contrast |
The Obituary Facts
The elder Becerra’s obituary is the source of the family history. It confirms he was born in Sacramento, moved to Mexico as a child, lived in Tijuana, and returned to California as a teen.
The facts are straightforward. Becerra’s father was born in Sacramento, not in Mexico. The family moved back to Mexico when he was a child, which means his father spent part of his life in Mexico before returning to California.
The Political Context
Hilton’s criticism landed during a tight gubernatorial race. The poll shows Becerra ahead but facing pressure from Hilton’s campaign, which has run ads that upset some conservatives.
Underland argued that Hilton was using immigration as a wedge issue to distract from his own controversial ad campaign.
The Honest Reaction
The source does not establish a verdict on Becerra’s framing of his father’s story. It reports both sides — Becerra’s defense of his family history and Hilton’s attack — without settling which is accurate.
The comparison of the two campaigns’ approaches rests on what each side says publicly. Becerra’s campaign defends temporary moves to parents’ home countries as common in immigrant families. Hilton frames the issue as a question of honesty about family history.
Neither position is confirmed by the poll or the debate transcript. The race remains tight, with Becerra ahead but facing pressure from Hilton’s campaign.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs the truth of Becerra’s father’s birth in Sacramento and his return to Mexico as a child, and is against the governor’s repeated public claim that his father was an “immigrant,” since the word describes someone who comes from abroad rather than someone who leaves and returns. The paper does not take a position on whether Becerra’s campaign defense holds up as a factual matter, but it takes a clear stand on the meaning of the word itself.
This is a matter of language, not of loyalty to either candidate. The paper’s north star includes support for small business and avoidance of concentrations of power, including in how political language is used. A word that describes someone coming from abroad should not be used to describe someone who left and came back.
The poll result comes from a pollster hired by Hilton’s campaign, which raises questions about its neutrality. The story leans heavily on Becerra’s campaign statements rather than independent reporting, and the paper notes that both campaigns are using family history as a proxy for larger fights over immigration and identity in the governor’s race.
Source material: “Truth about Xavier Becerra’s Mexican background is finally revealed,” the New York Post.
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