Thread: IOWA: Huckabee plan on immigration under scrutiny

Huckabee plan on immigration under scrutiny
December 22, 2007
By LISA ROSSI
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

Coralville, Ia. - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee pushed his credentials on dealing with illegal immigration Friday, but also ran into voters who challenged him on the issue.

The heightened scrutiny of Huckabee's immigration plan and record comes after former Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, a leading critic of illegal immigration, dropped out of the race Thursday and moved his support to Mitt Romney.

One of Tancredo's former supporters confronted Huckabee during a question-and-answer session in Muscatine.

Deb Miller, 44, came to the event armed with quotes from the Bible and a pile of pages printed from the Internet.

"In light of the fact Scripture says we should obey the law of the land, why has his past policies and the way he's handled the immigration issue been to reward illegal immigrants?" asked Miller, from Muscatine, who is now leaning toward caucusing for Romney.

Miller said Huckabee gave taxpayer-supported scholarships to illegal immigrants and opposed raids of those working here illegally.

Huckabee asked Miller if she received those talking points from another campaign (she said she did the research herself) before explaining he wasn't opposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.

Rather, he said he was outraged at how the federal government, during a 2005 raid in Arkadelphia, Ark., failed to arrange care for children of detained illegal immigrant parents.

"It was not the opposition to the raid," he said. "It was the opposition to the way our own federal government so incompetently handled small children. For that I apologize to nobody, and I would express my outrage. And under my presidency, we would treat people better than that."

Huckabee hit several stops Friday as part of an eastern Iowa swing - including a last-minute stop at West Music in Coralville where borrowed a bass guitar and played a few songs with the store's staff.

He plans to hit Republican strongholds in the western portion of the state today.

Huckabee said at many stops Friday that he's "the only candidate that's put forth a detailed plan on immigration." He said he opposes "amnesty" and "sanctuary cities" and wants "real penalties" for businesses that knowingly hire immigrants.

Romney has used television and print ads to attack Huckabee on immigration and his campaign continued to press on the issues Friday.

"Mike Huckabee has a very troubling record of advocating that taxpayer dollars for in-state tuition be provided to illegal immigrants, raising taxes and increasing spending," said Tim Albrecht, spokesman for Romney's Iowa campaign. "His record on these issues alone show that he is out of step with the American people."

Huckabee also sought to further distinguish himself from his opponents, although he didn't name any during his talks to voters Friday.

"I am pro-life - and that's not a recent conversion," he said in Iowa City.

Romney has switched his pro-choice position to anti-abortion. He has told voters he will not apologize for the change.

Huckabee said in Davenport that voters need to decide whether they want a president who is "looking forward, or one who is looking side to side and behind to see who is slipping up on him."

Huckabee also took on a lighter tone during the early Davenport event, telling stories of his days before he lost weight and joking that when growing up, he took his father's pleas to eat everything on his plate seriously.

"I ate everything on the plate - I almost ate the plate," he said.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... /1001/NEWS

Huckabee asked Miller if she received those talking points from another campaign (she said she did the research herself) before explaining he wasn't opposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.


Politicans, many of today's voters are very savvy. We listen, we ask questions and can check out almost anything on the internet. It's time they know we want the rule of law to be followed -do this or you will be voted out.

The outrage! Can someone send this reporter about 10 copies of our last few press releases? She completely let Huckster off the hook!

W

Reporter's contact information for the above story:
Reporter Lisa Rossi can be reached at (515) 232-2383 or lrossi@dmreg.com

Here is a link to the newsroom staff:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... CONTACTS03

We got this one yesturday
maybe she hasnt read the 100 or so emails
NOT
One more time

Huckabee said at many stops Friday that he's "the only candidate that's put forth a detailed plan on immigration."

So not true.