bobbyw24
08-12-2010, 09:24 AM
Distinguishing himself once more from his GOP rivals when it comes to immigration policy, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said on Wednesday that he didn't back efforts to rethink and perhaps repeal the part of the 14th Amendment that guarantees birthright citizenship.
Speaking to NPR, the 2008 presidential candidate and current Fox News personality noted that the Supreme Court had decided "in three different centuries" that birth in the United States assured one U.S. citizenship. The discussion, in essence, was moot. Asked specifically whether he would favor repealing parts of the 14th Amendment, Huckabee replied: "I don't think that's even possible."
"Would you favor it?" pressed NPR's host Tom Ashbrook.
"No," said Huckabee. "Let me tell you what I would favor. I would favor having controlled borders... but that's where the federal government has miserably and hopelessly failed us."
In coming out against efforts -- however nascent -- to repeal birthright citizenship, Huckabee almost immediately cast himself into a minority crowd within GOP circles. While former Bush hands have been vocal in their horror at the Republican Party's insistence in tackling this issue, a wide swath of prominent Senators and Senate candidates have jumped on board the bandwagon with both feet.
Huckabee has found himself on the outskirts of the party tent with respect to immigration policy before. During the presidential campaign, he was attacked relenetlessly by his rivals for implementing a policy while governor that allowed children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition.
"I was dealing with the failure of the federal government at a state level, just like a lot of citizens have dealt with it individually, and my feeling was, and I still believe this, that you don't punish a child for the crimes a parent commits," he said at the time. "And that's my position; it hasn't changed."
Story continues below
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/12/huckabee-opposes-changing_n_679781.html
Speaking to NPR, the 2008 presidential candidate and current Fox News personality noted that the Supreme Court had decided "in three different centuries" that birth in the United States assured one U.S. citizenship. The discussion, in essence, was moot. Asked specifically whether he would favor repealing parts of the 14th Amendment, Huckabee replied: "I don't think that's even possible."
"Would you favor it?" pressed NPR's host Tom Ashbrook.
"No," said Huckabee. "Let me tell you what I would favor. I would favor having controlled borders... but that's where the federal government has miserably and hopelessly failed us."
In coming out against efforts -- however nascent -- to repeal birthright citizenship, Huckabee almost immediately cast himself into a minority crowd within GOP circles. While former Bush hands have been vocal in their horror at the Republican Party's insistence in tackling this issue, a wide swath of prominent Senators and Senate candidates have jumped on board the bandwagon with both feet.
Huckabee has found himself on the outskirts of the party tent with respect to immigration policy before. During the presidential campaign, he was attacked relenetlessly by his rivals for implementing a policy while governor that allowed children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition.
"I was dealing with the failure of the federal government at a state level, just like a lot of citizens have dealt with it individually, and my feeling was, and I still believe this, that you don't punish a child for the crimes a parent commits," he said at the time. "And that's my position; it hasn't changed."
Story continues below
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/12/huckabee-opposes-changing_n_679781.html