Mike Huckabee signs Numbers USA no-amnesty pledge

Mike Huckabee has signed Numbers USA's no-amnesty pledge; news report here, and background here. What he signed is this:

I pledge to oppose amnesty or any other special path to citizenship for the millions of foreign nationals unlawfully present in the United States. As President, I will fully implement enforcement measures that, over time, will lead to the attrition of our illegal immigrant population. I also pledge to make security of our borders a top priority of my administration.

Prior to the news conference, his aids signed on to the details:

1. The 12 million illegal aliens now here will have to go home.

2. They will not get any legal status while here that allows them to remain long-term.

3. Once in their home countries, they may apply for re-admittance to the U.S. as immigrants, visitors or temporary workers through normal channels.

4. But they will not receive any special privileges on the basis of their having been in the U.S. illegally, such as being put to the front of a line.

5. There will be no new categories or programs through which they may re-enter.

6. There will not be an expansion of green cards in any existing categories that will speed up their movement to the front of the line.

Obviously, this is a strong point in favor of Huckabee and somewhat nullifies my prior strong criticism of him. However, many's the slip and one wonders exactly what recourse anyone would have if he became president and then violated the pledge. Would anyone in the MSM even ask him about it? Could he use other issues to mitigate any damage violating the pledge would do? Is it really possible for someone who's said so many very questionable things about this issue to then follow through? And, there are of course other reasons to oppose a Huckabee candidacy, such as his various semi-theocratic notions and his "FairTax" plan.

Immigration2008a · Thu, 01/17/2008 - 12:19 · · Importance: 1