Steve Hilton accuses Xavier Becerra of $7,000-a-night migrant child spending

Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, told a host at one outlet that former Health and Human Services secretary Xavier Becerra spent $7,000 each night on every unaccompanied alien child placed in detention facilities, a figure he called outrageous. Hilton described the shelters as warehouse-style spaces with cots where children suffered various forms of abuse. He referenced a whistleblower’s testimony about an "assembly line" that funneled children to sponsors and, in some cases, traffickers.

Citing First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli’s anti-trafficking efforts, Hilton pledged to create a dedicated investigative unit to uncover fraud and hold responsible parties accountable if he becomes governor. The remarks were part of a broader campaign narrative portraying Becerra’s immigration management as a scandal.