Xavier Becerra, an American lawyer and politician, who has established himself as a prominent figure within the Democratic Party, following a career that took him from humble beginnings in Sacramento to the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States. The son of working-class parents with Mexican roots, Becerra was the first in his family to graduate from college, studying economics and law at Stanford. His political career began in the California State Assembly, and in 1992 he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he remained for 24 years, representing districts in Central Los Angeles.

During his long stint in Congress, Becerra became one of the most influential voices in the Democratic Caucus, holding leadership positions such as chairing the Hispanic Caucus and the House Democratic Caucus. His work was marked by a firm position in defense of reproductive rights, economic justice and Latino communities. As a deputy, he defended the increase of penalties for gang-related crimes and voted against bills considered insufficient to protect the working class, such as the Economic Stabilization Law of 2008.

Appointed Attorney General of California in 2017, Becerra has become known for openly confronting the Trump administration on several fronts, including the environment, immigration and public health. His tenure at the head of the state Department of Justice was marked by a combative and strategic posture, which earned him national visibility.

In 2021, Becerra took charge of the Department of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration, becoming the first Latino to hold that position. His management, however, was met with criticism for his discreet performance during critical moments of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the response considered slow to the monkeypox crisis. Despite this, he has led major restructuring efforts at sub agencies such as the FDA and CDC.

In the political field, Becerra maintained his progressive identity, positioning himself firmly in favor of access to abortion and equal pay, and facing controversial decisions such as the mandatory coverage of contraceptives by religious organizations. Amid recent investigations into violations of child labor laws involving immigrant children, the department he led was singled out as negligent, increasing pressure on his management.

Married to physician Carolina Reyes and father of three daughters, Becerra is also active in public policy-making spaces, such as the Inter-American Dialogue think tank. In April 2025, after months of speculation, he made official his candidacy for the Governor of California for the 2026 elections, seeking to resume an executive role with more autonomy, something that, according to him, he had missed since his days as attorney general. His candidacy promises to heat up the succession of Gavin Newsom and marks another chapter in the trajectory of one of the most influential Latinos in contemporary American politics.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xavier_Becerra