December 28, 2007
Posted: 11:30 AM ET

(CNN) — Mike Huckabee appears to have combined two hot-button issues on the Iowa campaign trail: Pakistani unrest and illegal immigration.

Thursday night, the former Arkansas governor told CNN that the crisis in Pakistan wasn’t just an international concern: “Domestically, we need to protect our borders with Pakistanis coming into the country,” he said.

Friday morning, the Republican presidential candidate elaborated on the point, telling CNN’s Dana Bash that 660 Pakistanis entered the country illegally last year, more than any other nationality other than those south of the border. When asked for the source of the statistic, Huckabee appeared unsure, telling a reporter that “those are numbers that I got today from a briefing, and I believe they are CIA and immigration numbers.” The Huckabee campaign later said the figure came from a newspaper report.

The number of illegal immigrants from Pakistan deported or apprehended was 721, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In 2005, the nation did not make the list of the top 10 sources of illegal immigrants. The previous year, they were the last country listed, but no specific numbers were given.

Illegal immigration is a top concern for GOP caucus goers in Iowa, according to most recent polls.

UPDATE: A senior Huckabee campaign official tells CNN that the figure Huckabee cited — 660 illegal Pakistanis in the US — came from a March, 2006 article in the Denver Post. CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve is told by a government source that if you add up the number of Pakistanis turned away at the border and apprehended, the figure is somewhere close to 660. But it is impossible to know how many entered the country undetected.

Related: Foreign policy gaffes plague Huckabee

–CNN's Rebecca Sinderbrand and Dana Bash

Filed under: Mike Huckabee


Mani   December 30th, 2007 2:17 am ET

Is this guy for real?? He even does not have slightest clue about world georaphy.
God bless America if such a moron lead us into 21st century…..

Ajay Jain, Dallas, USA   December 29th, 2007 12:51 pm ET

On being asked about the Bhutto assasination, Hucabee commented thet there are a lot of "illegal Pakistani Immigrants" coming from Pakistan.

He does not know there are more Chinese illegals in America than Pakistanis. On Bhutto's assasination he comments on illegal immigration! Can he not just keep quiet if he has no comment to make?

GOP is still looking for some Godly inspiration regards to its nominee. Hucabee is well ahead in this game. If Hucabee is the GOP answer to their prayers then Hillary will have the Presidency sealed in 2009.

Last night Anderson interviewed Clinton, Edwards and their comments on the Benazir Bhutto assasination were in stark contrast to her understanding of the politics of Pakistan and Edwards simple diplomatic dealing with Musharaf.

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2007/12/20/a-gop-free-for-all/

Go Hillary44 08! http://hillaryis44.org/

Stacey, Durham, NC   December 28th, 2007 11:55 pm ET

K Wilkinson Texas, your last sentence there is the funniest thing I've heard all day, thanks for a great laugh. In all sincerity I think Huckabee is a decent fellow. If only that were enough to lead the most powerful nation in the world, then he could be presidential material - unfortunately, he's not! Period.

amy lynn   December 28th, 2007 10:08 pm ET

Fox News, terrified at the growing support of Congressman Ron Paul's Presidential Campaign, has excluded him from their Jan. 6th Roundtable discussion which includes Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson

Amanda, Clinton, MD   December 28th, 2007 7:46 pm ET

Huckabee is very qualified to serve Arkansas, a safe landlocked state in the middle of the US….don't let him near our borders!

K Wilkinson Texas   December 28th, 2007 6:16 pm ET

Hello people, MIKE HUCKABEE is not qualified! How much more obvious does it have to be! If the Evangelicals put this man into office I will lose every last ounce of respect for them. Let Huckabee do what he does best, preach from he Bible. Let another candidate be President. My vote is for Mitt Romney.

Scientific studies show that Huckabee's brain is the size of a pea compared to Romney's massive gray matter. It's true, I heard that in a briefing just this morning!

Mike Birmingham, AL   December 28th, 2007 5:05 pm ET

Careful Huckabee -

The Conservative/Republican racism is a little too blatant. Might want to stick to just hating Mexicans for a while before you start overtly naming other nationalities you want to discriminate against. At least when it's Mexicans, you can thinly veil it as a border issue.

Tyler, Cambridge, MA   December 28th, 2007 4:41 pm ET

These evangelical Christians do not care about the world. They care about controlling the United States in whatever way possible with their beliefs

Jackson Maxim   December 28th, 2007 4:16 pm ET

But hey, it looks like he stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so I suppose that counts as much toward being an expert on foreign policy as anything else, right?

Dan Seattle, WA   December 28th, 2007 3:46 pm ET

Yet another embarrassing gaffe from Huckleberry. Just the other day he still thought Pakistan was under marshall rule. Now he thinks they're a major source of concern in the US.

Does anybody truly take this knucklehead seriously?

Stacey, Durham, NC   December 28th, 2007 3:27 pm ET

Just wanted to make sure everyone saw what Jarod wrote. Maybe we should start a support group Jarod? :)

Stacey, Durham, NC   December 28th, 2007 3:25 pm ET

And thus the implosion of Mike Huckabee is born! So if I get what you are saying Mike, it's ok to turn your own state into a magnet state for Illegal Mexicans and then completely flip-flop on your position when running for POTUS, but "America had best watch out for those Pakistanis"?

From Wikipedia - A "flip-flop" (used mostly in the United States) or a U-turn (used in the United Kingdom) is a sudden real or apparent change of policy or opinion, while trying to claim that both positions are consistent with each other. Usually it will occur during the period prior to an election in order to maximize the candidate's popularity.
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_%28politics%29)

Huckabee Flip-Flops on Immigration

What His Policy Was as Governor:

"When he was governor, Huckabee held the following positions on illegal immigration: He supported higher education benefits for children of illegal immigrants, opposed a federal roundup of illegals from his state in 2005, opposed a 2001 bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in the state, and in 2001, a member of his administration pushed for legislation to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants." (from http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200712/POL20071204b.html)

What He Says Now:

I oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals and supports legislation to prevent states from doing so. In 2005, I signed legislation that prevents illegals in Arkansas from getting driver's licenses. I oppose and will not tolerate employers who hire illegals. They must be punished with fines and penalties so large that they will see it is not worth the risk.
(from http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lNJCN4Gpwk - Huckabee Backed Scholarships For Illegal Immigrants

Tancredo and Hunter have been working on this for years. Guess who Tancredo just endorsed? Answer: wasn't Mike

Sidenote:

I recently had the privilege of working with someone from Pakistan and found them to be hard-working, ethical, and wonderful to work around. I add this merely to point out that not everyone on the Republican side is a pinhead as Mike has so eloquently demonstrated.

bartwoord   December 28th, 2007 3:20 pm ET

This is really quite a disgrace… I wonder how Pakistani public opinion would view such comments - in the current context - from a presidential candidate once the situation has at least relatively calmed down there. Say bye-bye to US credibility in Pakistan, that's for sure.

Save America   December 28th, 2007 3:15 pm ET

AHHHH! Its those Pakistanis! I applied for 660 jobs last year, and the same thing happened every time, the guy said:

"I am sorry but these Pakistanis do twice the labor for half the pay."

And within 48 hours the place blew up.

Finally, there is a politician who understands danger of the throngs of Pakistani's coming across the boarder! Just think, 600-700 Pakistanis, thats about the size of the cast of the "Lion King" musical.

Go get 'em Mike! I would donate to your campaign but as I said I am unemployed and spend all of my money blowing up businesses that don't hire me.

Paul, Tampa, FL   December 28th, 2007 3:15 pm ET

More rhetoric from the party of xenophobia. All we have to do is rid ourselves of gays, Mexicans, Muslims, and African-Americans and the world will be perfect. Ehh boyz?

Les   December 28th, 2007 3:10 pm ET

Clueless governor!

Mike O   December 28th, 2007 3:01 pm ET

Governor Huck would have been giving their kids in-state tuition. After his recent hunting trip, he should realize that it's open season on Pander Bears. Especially those that try to milk a tragedy for democracy for votes.

kw   December 28th, 2007 2:53 pm ET

one word: idiot.

John, New York, NY   December 28th, 2007 2:52 pm ET

Mike…we're getting confused here, buddy. You not only do you make really strange remarks…but your ability to backpeddle from them is making us dizzy.

First came the AIDS quarantine thing…which you are still clumsily standing by. Then came the "martial law" thing…in backpeddling from that one you actually said that martial law is declared when civil liberties are restricted (duh..its declared when the military takes over civil and governmental functions of a country).

Now you are declaring that Pakistani illegal immigrants are the biggest threat that an unstable Pakistan presents to the US. Ummm…Mike…I think you'll probably need to backpeddle here too, considering:

1) Pakistan has nukes,
2) Pakistan really is the place where the terroists who bomb the US hide out, and 3) Pakistan is our only significant ally in the Middle East (other than Israel)…during a time when we're fighting wars on two fronts there.

I think most reasoning people would agree that the above issues might take precedent over "specter" of illegal immigration.

Keep backpeddlin there, Mike. Maybe you'll get one right someday.

Greg Golden Valley, MN   December 28th, 2007 2:43 pm ET

Very Scary! He seems as informed about the world as GW did when he ran in 2000. Wouldn't you think a candidate might check out various newspapers, news stations, and the web to at least be a bit knowledgeable about the world

Scott Moyer-Kalamazoo, MI   December 28th, 2007 2:35 pm ET

Presidential candidates relying on newspaper reports for reciting supposed facts? Are people really taking this guy seriously? Let us pray not lest we become prey yet again to the so-called religious right. Wake up folks and circle the wagons, crazier things have happened, take the last eight years for example.

Mrs. America   December 28th, 2007 2:34 pm ET

An American expat living in Pakistan told me the same "statistics" about Pakistanki illegal immigration numbers years ago, and I didn't ask about a source because it was just a person who was living there saying it. He said it in the context about the people who hate us most get the most falsified visas. But when a presidential candidate comes up with the same thing today, it would be a good idea to have firm data. A newspaper article is not a reliable source, especially when it seems well more than a decade old. That's why the media say "he said" or "she said" or "an unidentified source said." They report what others say. That doesn't make it accurate.

Carly   December 28th, 2007 2:34 pm ET

Please America, don't elect this moron

Val Davydov, Agawam, MA   December 28th, 2007 2:33 pm ET

My, my, my - what have we got here? He now wants to make his case on immigration based on some numbers he is not even sure where he got those numbers from? And all of a sudden he is tough on immigration because it's a "top concern for GOP caucus goers in Iowa"? Was it not that long ago when he supported in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants and taxpayer-funded scholarships for illegal aliens? Do we really want this clueless flip-flopper run our country? Come on Iowans - you know better! You know that this guy is just trying to win your votes by saying anything and everything that would please you. LOOK AT HIS PRIOR RECORD. Huckabee will be a disaster if he is elected. We count on you Iowa.

mattso   December 28th, 2007 2:20 pm ET

WOW…is this guy for real???

Jason, Seattle, WA   December 28th, 2007 2:17 pm ET

Huckabee is digging his own political grave with the statements he makes.

LOU   December 28th, 2007 2:16 pm ET

who is giving advise to this Bozo on foreign policy?

Tim T.   December 28th, 2007 2:09 pm ET

Fast forward to next week's bombing in X. Huck, "We need to protect our borders with Xis coming into the country." Then, it'll be "We need to screen non-Christians coming
into the country." Then, "We need to screen non-Christians IN the country." Huck is
an amateur and thus a danger to politics USA,

Eric Scott   December 28th, 2007 2:06 pm ET

pretty offensive, huckleberry… pretty offensive.

Farrell, Houston, Tx   December 28th, 2007 2:06 pm ET

Is Huckabee dumb as dirt or does he think Americans are dumb as dirt. Our country cannot afford to have a president who relies on newspaper reports and lacks the inability or is too lazy to do intelligent research on his own before he opens his mouth. Huckabee is the prime example of someone who has been living in his own "comfort zone" and has no concept of the world around him.

Brad, Stockton, CA   December 28th, 2007 2:04 pm ET

A CIA briefing or a newspaper report? He can't remember which?

Jeanette, UT   December 28th, 2007 2:01 pm ET

Keep talkin', Huck. You'll talk your way right out of the nomination by proving time and time again how little you actually know and how unqualified you are!!!

Wendy, Cincinnati, OH   December 28th, 2007 1:58 pm ET

There is one week before the Iowa Caucaus. I would make a suggestion that anyone that loves to read would get a copy of "The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800
by Jay Winik" and review the course of America. I am in awe at how in sink Mitt Romney is with the Founding Fathers of this nation. I am amazed that he has been attacked in many similar ways that they were. Mitt Romney is one of those rare and genuine finds and Americans need to review their history to find leaders like Washington, Adams, Jefferson,& Lincoln. Mitt Romney is such a leader

George, Billerica, Mass.   December 28th, 2007 1:54 pm ET

Mitt should be flattered that Huck is imitating him: Making stuff up whenever it suits.

Lee Lee, Los Angeles, Ca   December 28th, 2007 1:48 pm ET

"“those are numbers that I got today from a briefing…"

That's almost comical.

Raman, Plano TX   December 28th, 2007 1:41 pm ET

Not only Pakistan contributing to Illegal immigration in US. If someone were to make a list of problems created by Pakistan, it can go about a mile long. Notable are are:

1. 9/11 attacks were masterminded by Pakistanis
2. Atomic bomb & Nuclear technology was proliferated to Iran and N. Korea (President George Bush's axis of evil components) by Pakistani.
3. 7/11 attacks in UK were planned and executed by UK nationals of Pakistani origins.

Our administration is naive and intolerably ignorant to believe that Pakistan administration is helping us in war against terrorism, when Pakistan is the training ground for training terrorist feeding terrorism in Europe and Asia and Americas. By supporting Pakistani administration, our administration is just increasing probability for another Pakistani masterminded attack on US soil.

If our administration has to look for a hardcore Islamic fanatic, it does not have to go beyond President Pervez Musharraf. The fact that US touts President Musharraf as it friend, is utterly cowardly US administration attitude.

Jon, Palo Alto, CA   December 28th, 2007 1:40 pm ET

Mr Huckabee is an illiterate in a spelling bee. Way out of his league.

Jon B Olathe KS   December 28th, 2007 1:35 pm ET

Yeah I'm pretty sure that 660 illegal Pakistani's are a real threat to American jobs…

But with Huckabee's "Touchback" immigration policy all they need to do is fly home for a day and return as American citizens.

This almost makes my pity Huckabee to the point of donating to his campaign so he cn hire some competent staffers so he doesn't look like he has zero understanding of the world and foreign policy…it worked for slick willie…

Larry   December 28th, 2007 1:25 pm ET

….entered the country illegally last year, more than any other nationality other than those south of the border.

Just say it. Mexicans.

Erica Atlanta, Ga   December 28th, 2007 1:22 pm ET

Wow, he's already lying. I think the aftermath of the current liar in office is enough for American society for the next 100 years. Mike will not have my vote.

Tracy Jones, FL   December 28th, 2007 1:15 pm ET

Two words: clue less

Jarod, Durham, NC   December 28th, 2007 1:13 pm ET

And thus the implosion of Mike Huckabee is born! So if I get what you are saying Mike, it's ok to turn your own state into a magnet state for Illegal Mexicans and then completely flip-flop on your position when running for POTUS, but "America had best watch out for those Pakistanis"?

From Wikipedia - A "flip-flop" (used mostly in the United States) or a U-turn (used in the United Kingdom) is a sudden real or apparent change of policy or opinion, while trying to claim that both positions are consistent with each other. Usually it will occur during the period prior to an election in order to maximize the candidate's popularity.
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_%28politics%29)

Huckabee Flip-Flops on Immigration

What His Policy Was as Governor:

"When he was governor, Huckabee held the following positions on illegal immigration: He supported higher education benefits for children of illegal immigrants, opposed a federal roundup of illegals from his state in 2005, opposed a 2001 bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in the state, and in 2001, a member of his administration pushed for legislation to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants."
(from http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200712/POL20071204b.html)

http://www.alipac.us/article-2786-thread-1-0.html
http://arkjournal.com/2007/11/newsflash-mike-huckabee-supported-bill.html

What He Says Now:

I oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals and supports legislation to prevent states from doing so. In 2005, I signed legislation that prevents illegals in Arkansas from getting driver's licenses. I oppose and will not tolerate employers
who hire illegals. They must be punished with fines and penalties so large that they will see it is not worth the risk.
(from http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lNJCN4Gpwk - Huckabee Backed Scholarships For Illegal Immigrants

Tancredo and Hunter have been working on this for years. Guess who Tancredo just endorsed? Answer: wasn't Mike

Sidenote:

I recently had the privilege of working with someone from Pakistan and found them to be hard-working, ethical, and wonderful to work around. I add this merely to point out that not everyone on the Republican side is a pinhead as Mike has so eloquently demonstrated.

Jarod, Durham, NC   December 28th, 2007 1:11 pm ET

And thus the implosion of Mike Huckabee is born! So if I get what you are saying Mike, it's ok to turn your own state into a magnet state for Illegal Mexicans and then completely flip-flop on your position when running for POTUS, but "America had best watch out for those Pakistanis"?

From Wikipedia - A "flip-flop" (used mostly in the United States) or a U-turn (used in the United Kingdom) is a sudden real or apparent change of policy or opinion, while trying to claim that both positions are consistent with each other. Usually it will occur during the period prior to an election in order to maximize the candidate's popularity. (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_%28politics%29)

Huckabee Flip-Flops on Immigration

What His Policy Was as Governor:

"When he was governor, Huckabee held the following positions on illegal immigration: He supported higher education benefits for children of illegal immigrants, opposed a federal roundup of illegals from his state in 2005, opposed a 2001 bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote in the state, and in 2001, a member of his administration pushed for legislation to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants." (from http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200712/POL20071204b.html)

http://www.alipac.us/article-2786-thread-1-0.html
http://www.townhall.com/news/politics-elections/2007/12/27/huckabee_adopts_new_tone_on_immigration
http://arkjournal.com/2007/11/newsflash-mike-huckabee-supported-bill.html

What He Says Now:

I oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals and supports legislation to prevent states from doing so. In 2005, I signed legislation that prevents illegals in Arkansas from getting driver's licenses. I oppose and will not tolerate employers who hire illegals. They must be punished with fines and penalties so large that they will see it is not worth the risk. (from http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=4)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lNJCN4Gpwk - Huckabee Backed Scholarships For Illegal Immigrants

Tancredo and Hunter have been working on this for years. Guess who Tancredo just endorsed? Answer: wasn't Mike

Sidenote:

I recently had the privilege of working with someone from Pakistan and found them to be hard-working, ethical, and wonderful to work around. I add this merely to point out that not everyone on the Republican side is a pinhead as Mike has so eloquently demonstrated.

Steve Blaine Washington   December 28th, 2007 12:53 pm ET

Seems Huckabee better review his briefing statements from his staff before
opening his mouth. Lately every time he opens his Mouth he puts his foot in it.

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