LOS ANGELES (Diya TV) — Democrat Xavier Becerra defended his description of himself as the “son of immigrants” after Republican gubernatorial rival Steve Hilton challenged the account, noting that Becerra’s father was born in Sacramento.
Becerra’s mother, Maria Teresa, immigrated from Mexico after marrying his father, Manuel. His father was a U.S. citizen who grew up in Tijuana before returning to California.
Hilton, an immigrant from Britain whose parents came from Hungary, argued that Becerra’s description misrepresented his family history.
Becerra rejected that criticism Tuesday, saying his parents’ experiences crossed national borders and included discrimination against Mexican Americans, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Becerra has previously acknowledged his father’s American birthplace. A profile published during his tenure as California attorney general stated that Manuel was born in the United States and raised in Mexico.
In that interview, Becerra described his father’s limited schooling, agricultural work and experiences with businesses that refused to serve Mexicans despite his U.S. citizenship.
California Department of Justice records also identify Becerra as Sacramento-born and his mother as a native of Jalisco, Mexico.
During last week’s televised debate, Becerra described his parents arriving in California with little money and building a life through work.
UC Berkeley sociology professor G. Cristina Mora told the Times that movement between Mexico and the United States was common during his father’s childhood. Economic hardship and anti-Mexican discrimination prompted families to leave and later return.
The candidates’ disagreement concerns Becerra’s description of those experiences. His mother’s immigration from Mexico and his father’s U.S. birthplace are documented in his longstanding public biography.
