Below my question to AI:
Xavier Becerra front runner in Ca. race has ties to pro immigration groups:
Quick Answer
Xavier Becerra, the frontrunner in the California gubernatorial race, maintains deep, long-standing ties to major pro-immigrant advocacy organizations that critics argue are integral to his political identity and ground game.
His closest ally is CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles), which he has referred to as “my family” and which received over $100 million in state funds used for legal aid and rapid-response anti-ICE operations.
Other key connections include UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza), a decades-long ally that championed his federal nomination, and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, with which he partnered on immigration detention policy as state attorney general.
Critics, including Republican opponent Steve Hilton and investigative outlets, allege these groups have coordinated with Mexican consulates and engaged in activities that undermine U.S. sovereignty, such as dispatching activists to interfere with federal immigration enforcement and using taxpayer funds for political mobilization.
Becerra and his supporters reject these characterizations, framing his relationships as a consistent defense of immigrant rights and a pragmatic approach to policymaking that distinguishes him from more ideologically rigid opponents.
Xavier Becerra pro immigration groups ties:
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Xavier Becerra's ties to pro-immigration groups
Here's a fuller picture of how these ties work and why they've become a central fault line in the race.
CHIRLA:
The Core Relationship
Becerra has called CHIRLA "my family" and the two have been closely aligned since at least 2015. The relationship operates on multiple levels:
Funding:
CHIRLA received roughly $72 million in taxpayer funding over three years, including a $175 million state program designated by Gov. Newsom for "undocumented immigrants" during the pandemic, nearly $34 million in government grant revenue in 2022 alone, and about $1 million in federal grants for citizenship and naturalization services under the Biden administration.
(It's pretty clear that the dems know the only way they stay in office is to bring in millions of illegals and let them all vote by hook or crook!)
Political arm:
The CHIRLA Action Fund formally endorsed Becerra on April 13, 2026, vowing to "work hard to get him elected." It also endorsed LA Mayor Karen Bass six days later.
Ground game:
According to CAL DOGE's May 2026 investigation, CHIRLA's internal documents describe an "Immigrant Political Power Project" that deploys canvassers "ranging in status from undocumented to lawful permanent residents" making "4–7 pre-election contacts per voter." The group also built what it calls a "civic pipeline" moving individuals from immigration services and naturalization into voter registration and political mobilization.
Anti-ICE operations:
Beyond legal aid, CHIRLA organizes street protests against ICE, deploys legal observers at enforcement operations, and maintains a rapid-response hotline that alerts undocumented immigrants across California to deportation raids.
Mexican government ties: These span more than two decades. Mexico gave CHIRLA computers in 1995 to track hate crimes; the two have co-hosted workshops at consular offices; CHIRLA's CEO received Mexico's prestigious Ohtli Award in 2015. During the 2024 election, CHIRLA placed a Mobile Voting Center in a LA migrant hub near the Mexican Consulate.
Federal scrutiny: Rep. Jim Jordan launched a House Judiciary investigation of CHIRLA last summer over suspected use of taxpayer funds for protest activity. The Trump administration clawed back more than $100,000 in federal funding.
CHIRLA's director of communications, Jorge-Mario Cabrera, has pushed back, noting that "most of the funds that CHIRLA has received were subcontracted to 88 nonprofit organizations in LA County" and denying any quid pro quo between grants and political endorsements.