Huckabee Weak on Immigration

Republican Presidential candidate is improving his position on the opinion polls for the 2008 presidential elections. However, he is also drawing criticism for his record on immigration. Critics point out that Huckabee is weak on immigration, likening his stand on illegal immigrants—lobbying for legalizing illegal immigrants, while also supporting stricter border security—to that of President Bush.

Huckabee has always agreed on the importance of border security. He has also said that he opposes amnesty. However, many, especially those from the conservative quarter, criticize his push for creating a path to legal citizenship—for illegal aliens—as a push towards amnesty.

Huckabee has faced opposition to his idea that deserving children of illegal immigrants should be eligible to apply for education aid or college scholarships has met with stiff opposition. He has responded by saying, "Our country is better than that, to punish children for what their parents did in breaking the law. If that costs me the election, it costs me the election, but somewhere along the line we cannot just pander to the anger and hostility without challenging it."

Huckabee has responded to the criticism leveled at him, by promising to bring out a plan to resolve the issue of illegal immigrancy. He has also agreed to a penalty. "At some point, they do have to go back and start, they do have to pay a monetary fine, there has to be some type of restitution made for the law that has been broken, but it has to be reasonable and commensurate with the violation", he said. However, his critics, and the conservatives amongst the conservative electorate conservative, do not seem convinced. To win voters to his side, Huckabee needs to handle immigration wisely.