Biden-era cabinet official Xavier Becerra claimed that reports of migrant children being lost under his watch were “lies” by President Donald Trump — after he was pressed on them by a fellow Democrat.

Becerra — a leading candidate to become California’s next governor according torecentpolls— served as former President Joe Biden’s Secretary of Health and Human Services during which his department reportedly lost track of thousands of unaccompanied minors who crossed the U.S.’ southern border.

Becerra’s opponent in the June 2 primary, former Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, pressed the ex-HHS secretary on the lost children during KNBC’s California gubernatorial debate Wednesday.

After Becerra mentioned that he is “proud” of his “public service” while attacking Republican candidate Steve Hilton during a spat on the state’s homelessness crisis, Villaraigosa interjected, “Mr. Becerra, are you proud that you pushed out 85,000 migrant children?”

“They were, according to The New York Times, they were maimed, they were exploited,” Becerra’s fellow Democrat added. “Some were even killed. You said those are MAGA talking points, it’s a MAGA hoax. Tell that to the children who died.”

“So, I’m not sure what that had to do with homelessness butcalmate, Antonio,calmate,” Becerra initially replied to Villaraigosa, telling him to “calm down” in Spanish.

The two Democrats then began to speak over each other before moderator Colleen Williams gave Becerra 30 seconds to respond.

“Trump lied about that, this whole situation with the migrant kids,” he said.

“The New York Times lied?” Villaraigosa jumped in, referring to the outlet’s February 2023reportthat the HHS under Becerra was unable to reach more than 85,000 migrant children and “lost immediate contact” with one in three.

“Let me finish Antonio, thank you,” the former secretary added. “Donald Trump campaigned against our Democratic candidate Kathleen — I mean Kamala Harris, Vice President in 2024, using these lies. In 2026, now you have candidates like Antonio and [Democratic gubernatorial candidate] Tom Steyer using these very lies.”

Source: VidNews » Feed