Xavier Becerra is in hot water following a whistleblower’s revelations about severe abuse and exploitation of numerous immigrant children during his time as health secretary under Joe Biden. The whistleblower, who worked at Pomona Fairplex, described a chaotic environment where children were often released from custody in unsafe conditions. Many were separated from siblings and sent to unknown addresses, with some disappearing entirely. Alarmingly, the facility also accepted fake documentation from sponsors.
From 2021 to 2025, during Becerra’s leadership, the U.S. experienced a significant border crisis, with nearly 480,000 unaccompanied minors crossing the border. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is required by law to protect and care for these children.
The government set up multiple emergency facilities nationwide to manage the situation, including locations in Texas, Florida, and California, specifically in San Diego, Long Beach, and Pomona.
The whistleblower, a first-generation American and mother of two from a Salvadoran family, has come forward amid Republican candidate Steve Hilton’s scrutiny of Becerra’s tenure as California’s governor race heats up. Recent polling suggests Becerra leads with 61% to Hilton’s 36% as they approach the gubernatorial election on November 3.
During a visit to the Fairplex complex in July 2021, Becerra referred to it as a “model” facility where children could be “healthy and safe.” Yet, the whistleblower alleges her concerns about the treatment of vulnerable children were dismissed, as the focus was primarily on reuniting minors with sponsors, often without confirming the adults’ connections to the children.
An example highlighted by a caseworker involved a 5-year-old girl named Grace, who was distressed over her missing brother since her arrival with her 7-year-old sister.
Grace expressed, “I miss my sister and I don’t know where she is,” indicating she hadn’t seen her sibling for days.
One caseworker revealed that her sister, a 14-year-old, reportedly became pregnant after being sexually assaulted and was pushed into sex work by a woman she referred to as her “aunt.”
When a caseworker asked about the sister’s whereabouts, she learned they had been separated due to claims of older children abusing young ones, which was heartbreaking for the workers involved. Grace and her siblings appeared to have been discharged at different times.
‘Despicable’ Becerra
Caseworkers criticized the sponsor screening process as “ridiculous,” citing that selfies were allowed as IDs and communication often occurred via WhatsApp, with unverified addresses. Because staff could not perform welfare checks, they were left unsure if the children reached safe environments.
Hilton accused Becerra of directly causing trafficking through a lack of proper vetting for adults taking custody of immigrant children. He contested Becerra’s May statement that claims regarding 85,000 missing migrant children were inaccurate, asserting that, under Becerra’s oversight, 280,000 children had gone missing.
“Becerra’s actions are disqualifying,” Hilton asserted.
The whistleblower also reported incidents of sexual harassment and abuse occurring within Fairplex, claiming that teen boys were harassing young female employees, with repercussions for those who reported such incidents. Additionally, she described conditions where 20 to 35 minors slept on makeshift cots, receiving inadequate privacy for sensitive discussions.
The children were often woken in the early hours, given bags with their belongings, and taken away, leaving staff in the dark about their transport arrangements. “We had no idea who was taking the kids,” the whistleblower noted, emphasizing that this was when children were least visible.
She attributed the traumatic experiences to Becerra’s neglectful leadership, arguing that routine welfare checks could have made a difference. “We failed. I think we all need to take responsibility, and he should, too,” she said.
Becerra was approached for comments on this matter but did not respond immediately.
