California Gubernatorial Candidate Defends Record On Migrant Children During Debate

A leading Democratic candidate for California governor defended his record as a former cabinet official after being pressed during a debate on reports that thousands of unaccompanied migrant children were lost after crossing the southern border. The candidate, who served as secretary of health and human services, said the reports were lies spread during a presidential campaign.

His opponent in the June 2 primary raised the issue after the former secretary mentioned his public service record while discussing the state's homelessness crisis.

The exchange occurred during a televised debate on Wednesday. The opponent asked whether the former secretary was proud of having released 85,000 migrant children. He added that according to a New York Times report the children were maimed, exploited and in some cases killed.

The opponent said the former secretary had previously dismissed the reports as a MAGA talking point and a hoax. The former secretary responded by telling his opponent to calm down. After the two spoke over each other, a moderator gave the former secretary 30 seconds to reply.

He stated that the current president had lied about the situation with migrant children and that the New York Times report was also false. The opponent interjected to ask whether the New York Times had lied. The former secretary continued that the current president had used the issue against the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024 and that candidates were still using the lies in 2026.

He added that the claims were lies 20 years ago and remain lies today. The former secretary said his department had protected the children and did not let them be abused. He stated that employers were responsible for any abuse and urged his opponent to stop lying.

The opponent replied that 26 Democrats had condemned the handling of the children and called it outrageous that they had been placed on an assembly line and pushed out. The 26 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter in May 2023 expressing deep concerns about labor exploitation of migrant children documented by the New York Times.

The letter cited disturbing firsthand accounts of children who suffered forced labor, trafficking and abuse after release from the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

It called for comprehensive changes to department policies to end the exploitation and ensure accountability. The former secretary's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He is among the top polling candidates in the gubernatorial race along with two other Democrats.

The previous frontrunner withdrew from the race and resigned from Congress following sexual assault allegations. Before his time as health and human services secretary the candidate served four years as California attorney general and represented a Los Angeles-based House seat for 24 years.