"[AR Gov.] Huckabee plan would give aid to illegal aliens"

From this:

Gov. Mike Huckabee is proposing extending eligibility for state-funded college scholarships to illegal aliens who graduate from Arkansas high schools - an idea that several legislators predicted will go nowhere.

Huckabee said it's "terribly unjust" for a child who arrived in Arkansas at a young age and graduated from high school to be denied state-funded college scholarships because of a "a status that he had no control over." "Do we want to change the future for these kids? Then let's give them the opportunity. Let's not say that our doors are open but our opportunities are closed," Huckabee said Tuesday in his State of the State Address to the General Assembly.

The governor never used the words "illegal alien" in his speech but referred to high school graduates' "status," which confused some lawmakers. "We think he's talking about illegal aliens, but we don't know," said Sen. Dave Bisbee, a Republican who said he opposed the idea.

Huckabee's spokesman, Rex Nelson, confirmed that Huckabee, also a Republican, was referring to illegal aliens.

Bisbee said he thinks his hometown of Rogers has done a better job welcoming Hispanic immigrants to its community than others in Arkansas. "So I'm not coming from a position of prejudice," Bisbee said. "But illegal is illegal... and even if the child came here when he was 3 years old or 4 years old, he's still undocumented."

Rep. Denny Altes, R-Fort Smith, said citizens' children should come first in college scholarship eligibility. "What kind of message are we sending to the people south of the border, you know?" Altes said. "Are we saying, 'Yeah, come on,' or are we saying, 'No. There's still a border there. '"

Rep. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, said she had already planned to file a bill granting instate status to the children of immigrants who live in Arkansas and have applied to state universities. "It's nice to know we will have an ally in the governor's office," said Elliott, chairman of the House Education Committee. "I did not know that was coming..."

*cough*Tyson's*cough*

Lest I be sued, I have no information that those who seek to employ cheap labor - legal or illegal - paid anyone off or anything like that. I am not stating that as a fact, just as the first thought I had for the reason.

See also the recent friendly visit from the Mexican consul: "[I came to Arkansas to] continue the negotiations with the state and city authorities for making sure that we are going to inaugurate a Mexican consulate in the coming year in Little Rock... Governor Huckabee was a large part of this... He went to Mexico City and met with President Fox and proposed this... [when you get your MC we] don't care if you are documented or undocumented... I like Arkansas... It is so green. It's so clean, nice, with very warm, open people, and many friends of Mexico."

Immigration2005a · Wed, 01/12/2005 - 19:15 · · Importance: 1