Huckabee risks political fortunes to denounce immigration raid

AP ^ | August 5, 2005 | Melissa Nelson

[sweetliberty]

LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- Gov. Mike Huckabee says he's not afraid of risking his political future by speaking out against a recent immigration raid at an Arkadelphia poultry plant even though calls to his office have been "about 1,000 to one" against his stance.

"Most of the people that call are irate and using profanity. This is a very emotional issue. It evokes not only deep emotion, but causes irrational emotion," Huckabee told The Associated Press on Friday.

The move has strengthened support for the governor among national Hispanic civil rights advocates and could bode well for a Republican leader of the National Governors Association with presidential ambitions.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents arrested 119 illegal workers July 26 in the raid at a Petit Jean poultry plant, sending 107 out of the country either voluntarily or through deportation. The raid drew the ire of many in the community because about 30 children were left behind when their parents were arrested.

The governor's office has joined with the Mexican Consulate in Dallas, Catholic Charities and the League of United Latin American Citizens to ensure the well-being of the children.

Huckabee, a Baptist minister, said his support for the state's growing Hispanic population has to do with compassion, not politics. But longtime University of Arkansas at Little Rock political science professor Art English said there could be a political upside for Huckabee.

"It seems like immigration is not the most popular issue in the world to take a stand on but we are talking about kids," English said. "It looks like the federal government is being a great bully and these people are not committing great crimes. The outcome is these people don't have their mom or dad."

Friday, Huckabee said his repeated calls to Immigration and Customs and Enforcement officials about the raid have gone unanswered and he has asked the Bush administration to investigate the circumstances of the raid.

"(Federal agents) seem to be as indifferent in dealing with us as they are in dealing with children," he said.

Temple Black, spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in New Orleans, said the office was not avoiding calls from the governor and would be happy to talk with him.

"We are always open to good communications," he said.

Immigration officials have said they raided the plant after auditing the company's records. The raid followed the February identity-theft conviction of an Arkadelphia woman who admitted she unlawfully sold identity documents and Social Security cards.

Immigration agents said many workers illegally purchased U.S. birth certificates and Social Security cards, then used the documents to obtain ID cards, bearing their photos, from the state of Arkansas. The cards were used to obtain employment.

Huckabee said he supports the prosecution of the woman involved and does not support illegal immigration but takes issue with the way the raid was conducted.

"How is our government benefiting from an abandoned 1-year-old? I'm thinking as a parent, if I was in that position and my only crime was plucking a chicken to feed my family. I didn't hurt anyone," he said. "It would be different if the crime was robbing a bank with a gun or making methamphetamine."

Hugo Juarez, deputy consul general for the Mexican Consulate in Dallas, called Huckabee a good friend of Mexicans and the Mexican government.

The governor's pro-immigrant stance was also praised by LULAC president Hector Flores, who called Huckabee's efforts for the children a testament to progress in racial attitudes.

"I marvel at the changes in a Southern state like Arkansas where the governor actually called out the troops to keep the schools from being integrated in 1957. What a turnaround and especially for it to come from a Republican," he said.

Huckabee also took an unpopular pro-Hispanic stance earlier this year when he fought for legislation that would have granted in-state tuition and state-funded scholarships to the children of illegal immigrants. The bill failed by a close margin in the last days of the legislative session.

[Republican Wildcat]

He's assuming he already has the Republican vote (gross miscalculation, in my opinion)

Does he even show up in the polls?

He's been nothing but a rubber stamp on their policies for years anyway.

That's rather unsettling - he at one time openly associated himself with FR.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

The fact that this guy is an idiot bodes well for other Republicans.

If an idiot can beat a Democrat.....

what hope do the Democrats have?

[TomGuy]

They are still running the same arguments, however.

Dan Bartlett, adviser to the President, was on Tony Snow's radio program two days ago. And he parroted the same-ole 'jobs Americans won't do' line.

They only have a few such line that they can use, and they use them over and over, even though the public doesn't believe them. But what are you going to do? GWB is one of the worst offenders for allowing illegals -- and especially after the 9-11 attacks.

Hillary is making movement for '08, and Tancredo is about the only one on the Republican side to take a stand -- and the GOP 'mainstream' have ostracized him severely for that. Sensenbrenner is supposed to re-into an immigration control bill when Congress reconvenes.

[spectre]

I don't know who's feeding him BS that he is Presidential material, because he doesn't have what it takes. He wouldn't even carry his home State, FGS's.

Besides, there is only room for ONE Presidential library in Little Rock.

Hillary will put hers in New York, since she's not from Arkansas.

sw

[upchuck]

... the reason these children were left behind is that the parents, when arrested, denied HAVING any children, and since they were using false identities, there was no way to check it out. It wasn't until after the parents were out of the country that the children were "discovered" by authorities.

You are exactly correct. "Amazing" that the AP left this fact out of the article. From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, July 29, 2005:

Kids left behind after immigration raid

About 30 children, some as young as 3 months old, were left without their parents after immigration agents raided a Petit Jean Poultry plant in Arkadelphia, Ark., and took the parents away to face possible deportation. While some of the arrested workers arranged care for their children, others were not able to and a local church helped make them. An immigration spokesman said all of the 199 people arrested had been asked if they had children and they all said they did not.

So not are they Criminal Aliens, they also commit child abuse.

[DogBarkTree]

"Most of the people that call are irate and using profanity. This is a very emotional issue. It evokes not only deep emotion, but causes irrational emotion,"

Hey Huck! What the F&%#? Pull your f&%#ing head out of your @$$, get your $h!T together and do your d@mn job by doing what the people of Arkansas want.

[PhilipFreneau]

>>> The governor's pro-immigrant stance was also praised by LULAC president Hector Flores, who called Huckabee's efforts for the children a testament to progress in racial attitudes.

Or, maybe Huckabee has been bought-and-paid-for by the chicken growers, such as Tyson. Recall that the politically powerful family members of Tyson Foods are Bill Clinton's buddies.

[sweetliberty]

"Wasn't Governor Huckleberry recently boosted on these threads as a possible 2008 Prez candidate?"

I've yet to hear any Arkansas FReeper supporting him as a potential presidential candidate, but there are plenty on FR who just think he's the cat's pajamas...more like, the RAT's pajamas. But then, these are typically the same people who think the president can do no wrong, and if he says illegals are good for the country, well then, they must be, because he certainly couldn't be mistaken.

[sweetliberty]

"Recall that the politically powerful family members of Tyson Foods are Bill Clinton's buddies."

Oh yes, and they not so long ago bought their way out of criminal penalties and a lawsuit for hiring illegals too. They had no idea that these non-English speakers with last names like Epstein and Anderson, were illegals. After all, they provided the "proper" documentation...which no doubt Tyson arranged for the purchase of. Here's a clue for anyone considering moving to Arkansas: avoid anywhere there's a chicken plant, because those areas...and the culture are already in the toilet.

[Finalapproach29er]

What a pussified, worthless, lackey.

As long as the Bush gang controls the RNC, we are going to see these "softer" Republicans- many of whom are even worse than Dem-rats.

Conservatives need to regain control of the RNC. I'm tired of milquetoast candidates. rant over

[Lakeside]

"I'm still mystified..."

Exactly! WHY are they all doing this? It makes absolutely no sense. It's an obviously boneheaded move politically so why else? It's one of those things that makes me go hmmmmmm.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Old Huck must defend his main sources of $$$ so they can continue to get those cheap illegal chicken pluckers down at the poultry processing plants.

I am beginning to think a large segment of RINOs and US businesses are our worst enemies in this country.

Consider this, more people have been murdered by illegals since 9-11 than the terrorists did on 9-11

Over 17,000 violent crime fugitive warrants have been issued for illegal immigrants In Los Angeles alone. 15-1700 of these are for homicide, the vast majority of whom have fled back to the protective loving arms of V. Fox's criminal Mexican government.

The illegal immigrants continue to kill thousands of Americans, yet the pols and our courts pols do naught. If after illegals serving time and deportation come back illegally to L A, police are forbidden by law to pick them up or inform the INS. They have more rights and protection than American citizens.

Is this not a great country or what?

[Uncle Vlad]

There's no race card in the article, but you hear it all the time from the Left. If you complain about illegal immigration, they call you a racist. They've played that card so many times now, it's lost most of its potency.

[montag813]

The raid drew the ire of many in the community because about 30 children were left behind when their parents were arrested.

They need to be shipped out too. "Anchor babies" are a clear violation of the 14th Amendment.

[lewislynn]

What race card is referenced in this article?

The governor's pro-immigrant stance was also praised by LULAC president Hector Flores, who called Huckabee's efforts for the children a testament to progress in racial attitudes.

Efforts for children is progress in racial attitudes?

[lewislynn]

Do they think they will win elections solely on the strength of the illegal immigrant vote?

No, they know in spite of what you say you'll vote for them no matter what (you in the generic sense).

[libertyman]

How despicable...lying about having any children in the 1st place, therefore leaving infants & toddlers in a complete state of limbo & w/o parents just so they can save their own hide!

Shouldn't this make an even STRONGER arguement for going after illegals???? I think it does.

[libertyman]

I wish there was something I could do help round them up & ship them out...but lemme tell ya, you're clapping w/ one hand if you elect politicians into office who are soft on this issue (President Bush, my own Gov. Huckabee, practically all Dims, etc.). Find OTHER candidates & elect THEM into office instead!!!

The GOP Establishment is all part of the global governance crowd who WANTS open borders & an end to the sovereignty of the US. We're all a global village now, correct? Or so THEY (the Elitists) think, & they are just gettin' started.

[libertyman]

Well, shouldn't those positive remarks by the Hispanic leader about the GOP say something about the direction in which the GOP Establishment is moving? The Republican Party is doing more than just pandering to the illegals lobby--it has a globalist/open borders/one-world agenda that is the foundation for the entire illegal immigration mess--as well as CAFTA, NAFTA, & the global war on terrorism, too.

[hinckley buzzard]

I marvel at the changes in a Southern state like Arkansas where the governor actually called out the troops to keep the schools from being integrated in 1957.

I believe history records it somewhat differently, since it was president Eisenhower who federalized the National guard to insure the Integratoion of Little Rock's Central High School. But what the heck, Flores' version makes a better story for the bigot-baiters out there.