Illegal Immigration: The Huckabee Issue That Won't Go Away

Roger's weekly column
Monday, December 17, 2007
Roger Hedgecock


Republican primary voters, particularly in Iowa, are repudiating President Bush's open border and amnesty granting policies. Poll results put the issue of illegal immigration at the top of the list of concerns for Republicans in Iowa.

Republicans there and, increasingly, across the country, want stronger border control, employee verification, opposition of welfare and drivers' licenses for illegals, and to support jailed Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean.

The candidates are responding…

John McCain, whose candidacy sunk like a stone last June with his strong support for the failed Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill (read: Amnesty for Illegals Bill) now calls for border control first.

Rudy Giuliani, who courted illegals in New York as Mayor, calls for border control now claiming a post 9/11 conversion from pro-illegal to anti-illegal for national security reasons.

Mitt Romney, who never objected to "sanctuary cities" for illegals in Massachusetts when he was Governor, and who had illegal alien gardeners, now projects a border control/employee verification platform.

Ron Paul, who ran for President on the Libertarian Party ticket espousing open borders, has also had a conversion to border control.

But the biggest FLIP Award on this issue goes (envelope please) to Mike Huckabee, another former Arkansas governor from Hope, AK who spent his years as Governor defending illegals "rights", criticizing border control advocates, courting the Mexican Government--in short, doing everything he could to ensure a steady supply of cheap and willing illegal workers to the chicken plucking Tyson plants and other large Arkansas employers.

In a 2005 joint appearance with Tyson CEO John Tyson at the 76th annual convention of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) in Little Rock, Huckabee said "I am confident our government will recognize that we should accommodate people who wish to provide the best opportunity for their families and employers so that we can make sure our economy has the necessary work force."

He stated that Arkansas must transition from a traditional southern state to one which cherishes diversity "in culture, in language, in population".

The Governor got a standing ovation from the largely Hispanic audience.

During the legislative session Huckabee opposed Senate Bill 206 which would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote and required state agencies to report suspected illegals as "un-Christian, un-American, irresponsible, and anti-life".

Huckabee actively sought the opening of a Mexican consulate in Little Rock, going so far as to provide the consulate's initial office space in a state building for $1. per year rent !

However, more well known is Huckabee's support for state scholarships and in-state tuition for illegals. The Governor supported then and appears to support now the concept that someone illegally in this country should be eligible to take a state taxpayer provided scholarship away from a citizen AND he supports the concept that illegals in Arkansas should pay LOWER tuition at Arkansas colleges than citizens from other states !!!

Huckabee has now released a 9 point program which, among other things, would require every illegal to immediately register with the Customs and Immigration Enforcement Agency and then leave the country within 120 days. He also pledges to complete the Border fence.

Sorry--I'm not buying it. In 2000, I interviewed Texas Governor George Bush who vowed "We gotta control our borders". Seven years and millions of illegals later, the borders are wide open (see the movie "Border"--info at bordermovie.com).

Fool me once, your fault. Fool me twice, my fault. Governor Huckabee, this is one voter who will not be fooled again

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