10/03/2026
During the CNN California gubernatorial debate, a clash over immigration policy produced the evening's most contentious exchange between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.
Moderator Jake Tapper pressed Hilton on federal immigration enforcement, asking whether—if elected governor—he would direct California law enforcement to cooperate with Trump administration mass deportations beyond individuals convicted of dangerous crimes. California’s existing sanctuary law strictly limits local cooperation with federal authorities.
Hilton avoided answering whether he would reverse the policy, framing his position instead around general law enforcement and lowering political rhetoric.
Becerra seized on the noncommittal response, zeroing in on Hilton’s background as a naturalized British immigrant who moved to the United States in 2012:
> "Steve, you're running for governor of California, and you'll enforce Trump's laws at the federal level, but you won't enforce state laws at our level. California welcomed you into California, and you welcomed ICE mercenaries into our state in return. How do you square that?"
Becerra then added the remark that quickly went viral across national feeds:
> "You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me."
Hilton condemned the comment from the podium, calling it "disgraceful" and accusing Becerra of resorting to divisive identity politics rather than answering for the state's governance.
The confrontation highlighted the central dynamic of the race: Becerra repeatedly tying his Republican opponent directly to Donald Trump’s federal agenda, while Hilton attempts to pivot focus toward state-level issues such as housing, taxation, and crime.
