Becerra Defends Illegal Immigrants as ‘Hard Workers’
Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra defended providing healthcare coverage to undocumented immigrants, arguing they contribute economically to the state while his Republican rival Steve Hilton opposes the policy.
Speaking on CNN’s “The Story Is” Thursday, as Breitbart News reports, Becerra reframed the debate around immigration status, contending that those without legal documentation should not be denied healthcare benefits. “If you’re working hard, I want you to have healthcare,” he stated, drawing a contrast with Hilton’s position that undocumented immigrants should be removed from state healthcare rolls.
Host Elex Michaelson pressed Becerra on both the rationale and fiscal implications of his stance, noting that Hilton has campaigned on restricting healthcare access to illegal immigrants and that such policy maintains fiscal discipline.
Becerra, the son of immigrants himself, responded by highlighting what he characterized as the hypocrisy of opponents who benefit from undocumented workers’ labor while denying them healthcare. He pointed to their role in California’s agricultural sector, construction industry, and domestic care services as evidence that they perform essential work across the economy.
Hilton’s counter-argument centers on the rule of law, emphasizing his own legal immigration status and arguing that publicly-funded healthcare for those who entered illegally creates perverse incentives for further unlawful immigration.
When pressed on cost, Becerra argued that excluding undocumented immigrants from preventive care does not eliminate expenses but merely shifts them toward emergency room visits—typically the most expensive healthcare delivery method available.
With information from Breitbart News
