Lincoln supports college aid for children of illegal immigrants; Huckabee no longer sure
Dec 3, 2007
By Jason Wiest
THE MORNING NEWS
LITTLE ROCK -- Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., voiced support for providing some children of illegal immigrants with college aid Monday, a day after Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee said he was not sure he would support such a program at the federal level.

When Huckabee was Arkansas governor, he supported legislation in 2005 that would have granted in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants. The measure, an early version of which also would have made undocumented immigrants eligible for state scholarships, passed the state House but fell short in the Senate.

Huckabee, who is surging in polls in advance of Iowa's first-in-the-nation Jan. 3 political caucuses and has come fire from GOP opponents because of his stance on immigration, on Sunday was noncommittal on federal legislation that would make the children of illegal immigrants eligible for federal student aid such as Pell grants and subsidized federal student loans.

"I'm not sure I would support that. It was a different program in Arkansas," he said of the legislation, now stuck in the Senate, in an appearance on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

A spokeswoman for Huckabee said Monday the former governor was not flip-flopping on the issue.

"He's not wavering on it, he's just not certain at this point if he would support it at the federal level," press secretary Alice Stewart said.

Lincoln said Monday she still thinks such a program is a good idea.

"They've been in our school systems; we've made a huge investment," Lincoln said. "I think it's really important to make sure that we continue that investment (for students who do well) in a way that both encourages their legality and the hopes of them becoming a citizen because they are the ones who are going to contribute the most."

Lincoln, who supported the so-called DREAM ACT to help the children of illegal immigrants enter college, said the children did not come into the country on their own accord, a point Huckabee made during last week's GOP presidential debate and again during his television appearance Sunday.

"You don't punish a child because a parent committed a crime, or committed a sin, you just don't do it," he said. "We had kids (in Arkansas) who had been in our schools, by law. And to simply shut them out of any additional educational advancement, to me, seemed not only in their worst interest, but ours, as well as the state's."

But some Arkansas Republicans say such programs would put the interests of illegal immigrants ahead of Arkansas citizens.

"What about the children of Arkansans who are citizens?," said Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, who has helped sponsor legislative hearings on illegal immigration in the state. "We have thousands and thousands who are denied scholarships annually, and they're citizens."

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