California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is highlighting new allegations about how unaccompanied migrant children were released to sponsors while his Democratic opponent, Xavier Becerra, led the Department of Health and Human Services.
In a video posted by Hilton, former contractor Tarek Kadourah claims some children cried and said they did not recognize the adults they were being released to. His specific allegations have not been independently verified, but previous federal oversight found documented gaps in HHS sponsor screening during the same period.
Kadourah says he worked as a site supervisor for MVM in the summer of 2021, when the company was contracted to help care for unaccompanied children and transport them to sponsors.
According to Kadourah, children sometimes appeared “scared and uncomfortable.” He claims agents involved in transporting them told him some children cried or refused to enter vehicles because they did not recognize the people receiving them.
Kadourah also alleges that paperwork identifying sponsors as relatives had not been properly verified. “HHS was giving us paperwork that was not frickin’ verified,” he said, describing the process as operating “like an assembly line.”
Asked whether he believed some girls were ultimately subjected to sexual or labor trafficking, Kadourah said he “100%” believed that happened.
The video does not show the alleged drop-offs or independently establish what happened to the children after they were released.
Federal Watchdog Previously Found Sponsor-Screening Gaps
Federal oversight has documented problems with HHS’s sponsor-screening process, although those findings do not independently confirm Kadourah’s allegations.
A 2024 HHS inspector general review examined a sample of children released to sponsors in early 2021. The watchdog found that 16% of case files lacked documentation showing one or more required sponsor safety checks had been conducted.
The review also found that 35% of sampled files contained sponsor-submitted identification with legibility concerns. In some cases, required home studies or timely follow-up calls were also missing.
HHS’s Administration for Children and Families agreed with all six recommendations made by the inspector general. Most have since been implemented, although one recommendation calling for additional safeguards to ensure required safety checks are completed and documented before a child’s release remains open.
Hilton’s Video Draws Strong Reactions
Some viewers said Kadourah’s allegations deserved further investigation, while others immediately blamed Becerra. “He cannot be the next governor,” one person wrote.
Others questioned the contractor’s account and its timing. One commenter dismissed the allegations outright, while another asked why Kadourah had not publicly raised his concerns earlier.
Becerra’s campaign has not directly responded to Kadourah’s latest allegations. It has previously disputed Hilton’s broader characterization of HHS’s handling of unaccompanied children and accused his opponent of using the issue for political purposes.
Kadourah’s specific account remains unverified. However, the inspector general’s findings establish that sponsor-screening and follow-up shortcomings existed within the HHS system during the period at issue. Those findings do not establish Hilton’s broader allegation that HHS engaged in child trafficking.
