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To: mnehrling
Your source is old:

Before accepting this pledge, I emailed the following assumptions contained in the pledge to which Huckabee would have to agree. Staff responded that they were accepted. I then met with Huckabee today to ensure that we were both on the same page and to shake hands on the following agreement:

Governor Huckabee understands his pledge to mean that:

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.

I told the governor that each of those items deals with a trick that one lawmaker or another has tried to use on the American people over the last four years. I told him that I had to be able to assure the 530,000 activist on-line users of NumbersUSA that I had specifically gotten his assurance that he would reject any of those tricks.

It should be noted that most illegal aliens would not qualify to stand in any existing lines, particularly under Huckabee's overall plan which advocates for the elimination of the chain migration category for adult siblings and an end to the visa lottery.

My prepared statement at the press conference included this:
“Every candidate claims to oppose amnesty, but few define amnesty the way most Americans do. I applaud Gov. Huckabee for defining amnesty correctly, and for pledging to fully enforce laws that would take away the jobs and benefits magnets that draw illegal aliens here – and that keep them here.

“What a contrast to Sen. McCain, Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama, for example, who say they reject amnesty and then, in almost the same breath, say that most illegal aliens will have to be allowed to stay permanently. All three have repeatedly voted for amnesty. In the past week, Sen. McCain and Mayor Giuliani have clarified on national TV that they intend for most illegal aliens to be granted the very things they broke immigration laws to steal: an American job and U.S. residency.

“In a time of economic insecurity for many Americans, and rising joblessness, it is important to know which candidates would permanently fill American jobs with illegal foreign workers. I am pleased that Gov. Huckabee is saying he will not do that. He is taking a stand in favor of American workers, their families and their communities, all of whom need to be assured that once these illegal workers leave this country they will not be allowed back through special new catetories or by increasing the number of green cards in existing ones.”

About Sen. Thompson, Gov. Romney, Rep. Paul and Rep. Hunter

I was asked at the press conference whether the pledge signing would raise Huckabee's amnesty rating from "GOOD" to "EXCELLENT." I was pleased that the reporter had looked at our Presidential Grid.

The answer is that we would and we have. I told reporters that until recently, Huckabee had been rated only "fair" because some of his statements on TV had been confusing and ambiguous. We had pushed for more clarification and were happy to get it with the signing of the pledge. Believe me, these candidates' interest in getting their no-amnesty positions right are related in no small part to the incredible pressure they feel from citizens across the country. Many of you have challenged Gov. Huckabee. Several grassroots organizations, bloggers and radio hosts have hammered him when they felt that he was waffling or perhaps even seeming to try to leave loopholes for amnesty. While Gov. Huckabee and his staff have continually claimed they were misunderstood, voters have every reason to want iron-clad promises after all the tricks that Pres. Bush and other politicians have tried to pull on us. I believe today's signing is a tribute to all of you who have refused to accept any less.

source
228 posted on 01/31/2008 3:15:13 PM PST by dan1123 (You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. --Jesus)
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To: dan1123
Your source is old:

The date on my source is January 16th, 2008, the same date as your source.

242 posted on 01/31/2008 3:18:51 PM PST by mnehring (Glenfiddich/Macallan 08)
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To: dan1123
Governor Huckabee understands his pledge to mean that:

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


And the other 10-17 million law breakers get to stay?
300 posted on 01/31/2008 3:39:02 PM PST by CottonBall (The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. (Henry David Thoreau, "Walden", 1854 ))
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