Governor Huntsman supports amnesty for illegal aliens and opposes efforts to remove benefits for illegal aliens or enforce US laws. He supports the DREAM Act and a pathway to citizeship, but has not put forth a specific plan to achieving amnesty. He has stated that the American people would not accept amnesty through immigration reform without first securing the southern border.
In 2002, Governor Huntsman fought against efforts of state legislators to overturn state laws that allow illegal aliens to pay in-state tuition.
In a 2011 interview, Governor Huntsman stated that illegal immigrants who want to integrate into the American system and are willing to do what needs to do be done and work hard should be given an in-tuition tuition break. He stated that this integrates them into the system and makes them ultimately contribute to our country.
At a campaign event in 2011, Governor Huntsman stated that although he was personally opposed to border fences, he understood that one would be necessary to secure the border. He stated that in dealing with immigrants here in the US illegally, removing them from the country was not reasonable. He continued this reasoning in a later interview, noting that the American people would not be willing to accept adjusting the status of those in the US to a legal one until the southern border was secure.
In a 2011 CNN appearance, Governor Huntsman stated that he supported a "pathway to citizenship" as the most feasible form of amnesty. He stated that fines could be issued and other requirements such as learning insurance could be enforced.
In-State Tuition Rates
When Governor Huntsman came into office, legislation was already in place to allow people in the country illegally to attend college in the country and to pay in-state tuition rates. In 2002, state legislators made efforts to overturn this law. Governor Huntsman responded to these efforts by stating that he would consider vetoing such legislation if it ever passed.
I'm going to fight it. (I would) very seriously consider vetoing (the legislation)
George Stephanopoulis Interview
In May of 2011, Governor Huntsman was interviewed by George Stephanopoulis. He is asked about his previous support for the DREAM Act and amnesty.
George Stephanopoulos: You invited the voters at that first event to look at your record. And by (UNINTEL) record, we see someone who supported civil unions for gay couples, supported having the children of illegal immigrants be able to pay in-state tuition in your state, supported cap and trade in the past as an energy policy. Every single one of those could be a big problem in the Republican primary. How do you deal with it?
Jon Huntsman: Well, first of all, I don't change on my positions. The circumstances change, like on cap and trade, for example. You know, today our focus -- although we all care about the environment, today our number one priority's the economy -- and we should not be doing anything that stands in the way of economic growth. And that which is going to move us forward in terms of expanding our economic base and creating jobs, period. That's not to say that all the while, you won't have people who are creating and innovating new approaches to dealing with emissions. That's going to continue.
George Stephanopoulos: But back in 2008, November of 2008, the beginning of the emissions, you said that dealing with those emissions was either going to take cap and trade or a carbon tax. Is that still true?
Jon Huntsman: And that was exactly what CEOs were saying, and that's exactly what all the experts were saying, and that's exactly what a whole lot of governors are saying at that point. The economy collapsed. We can no longer focus on that debate as aggressively as we did in years past. But that debate will continue because people care about the environment. But I suspect that the end point it's going to look a lot different than that original proposal. And we also have to remember, George, that this is an international challenge.
If we come up with our own approach, and if the Chinese who are now the largest emitters in the world don't go up with their own, if the Indians don't come up with their own, we're all downstream. And if we unilaterally disarmed, we're disadvantaged economically. That point comes home loud and clear when you're living in Beijing, the most polluted city in the world. And you step outside and say this is a huge challenge. And all of this gunk, all of these emissions, they're going somewhere. And everyone's downstream these days. It's got to be an international fix.
George Stephanopoulos: On civil unions and on immigration, no walking away from your past positions?
Jon Huntsman: No. No. I think, in the case of civil unions, I think it's a fairness issue. I believe in traditional marriage. But subordinate to that, I think we probably can do a better job when it comes to fairness and equality. And I don't believe in penalizing the younger generation coming across our borders who have no say whatsoever over their journey and destiny.
They want to integrate into the American system. If they're willing what needs to do be done and work hard, then I think if we're giving them an in-house tuition break, that integrates them into the system, and makes them part of ultimately contributing to our country.
New Hampshire Campaign Event
In June of 2011, Governor Huntsman spoke at a campaign event in New Hampshire and discussed his opposition to a fence along the US-Mexico border. He also stated that sending people back to the country of origin was not a realistic method of solving illegal immigration.
I hate the thought of a fence on the border. I mean, for me, as an American, the thought of a fence to some extent repulses me, because it is not consistent with … the image that we projected from the very beginning to the rest of the world.
But the situation is such today that I don’t think we have a choice, and before we begin the conversation of processing 11 or 12 million undocumented workers, we’ve got to secure the border.
... There’s got to be an alternative rather than sending people back. That’s unrealistic.
Iowa Debate
In August of 2011, Governor Huntsman participated in the Presidential debate in Ames, Iowa. In that debate he discussed his views that the border must be secure before the illegal immigrants here can be dealt with.
BAIER: Now we turn to Susan Ferrechio with the Washington Examiner. She has the next round of questions for the candidates. The topic: illegal immigration. Susan?
FERRECHIO: OK, we'll start with Governor Huntsman. You said that we need to bill a fence to secure our borders, but then we need to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants already here in the country. You said, quote, "There's got to be an alternative to sending them back. That's unrealistic."
Governor Huntsman, are you proposing citizenship for illegal aliens?
HUNTSMAN: Listen, I'm -- I am a conservative problem-solver. I am pro-life, I'm pro-Second Amendment, I'm pro-growth on economics, and I'm here to tell you that, when elected president, the thing we need to do most on illegal immigration -- because there has been zero leadership in Washington. And with zero leadership in Washington, we've created this patchwork of solutions in all -- in a lot of the states, which makes for a very complex and confusing environment.
When elected president, I'm simply going to prove to the American people that we can secure the border. That's what they want done. And I'm not going to talk about anything else until we get it done. Secure the border.
Eighteen hundred miles, we've got a third of it done, between fencing and technology and National Guard boots on the ground. We can finish. And I will talk to the four border state governors and get verification from them that, in fact, we've secured the border.
And once that is done, then we can move on. But this discussion has zero in the way of any intellectual credibility until such time as we secure the border. (APPLAUSE)
CNN Appearance
In August of 2011, Governor Huntsman appeared on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and discussed immigration he stated that securing the border would be the number one priority before the American people would accept amensty for the 12 million already in the US.
BLITZER: "And then would there be a pathway to citizenship for the 12 million or so illegal immigrants in the United States?"
HUNTSMAN: "Well, then you have to deal realistically with the fact that you've got 12 million people here who've broken the law. I think fines are in order, coming up with a process whereby they pay fines, the learn English, other criteria must be met. But there would be some sort of legitimate pathway that brings them into some safer status and out from the shadows."
Real Clear Politics Interview
In August of 2011, Governor Huntsman was interviewed by John King for Real Clear Politics. He is asked about his immigration policy and states that securing the border is the top priority. He notes that discussing anything else is not possible until the border is secure.
KING: You did repeatedly say in the debate last night, I'm running on my record. You mentioned tax cutting. You mentioned you defended your position on civil unions. Some GOP voters won't like that, but you explained your position. There was one issue where in the past you have said on illegal immigration, secure the border. Get tougher there, but also deal with reality. There are, whether it's 12 million or 20 million people, people dispute the numbers here in the country illegally. Your position in the past has been we have to deal with that. We're not going to pick them up and kick them out, but here's what you said last night.
HUNTSMAN: Correct.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTSMAN: I'm simply going to prove to the American people that we can secure the border. That's what they want done. And I'm not going to talk about anything else until we get it done. Secure the border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: That's what John McCain did in the last campaign. He was someone who said you know find a path to status, in one case citizenship for them, but then it became so controversial on the right he said secure the border first, then we'll deal with everything else. Isn't that in a way running from your record?
HUNTSMAN: No, I still stand by everything I said in the past. All I'm saying is, we've got to prove to the American people that we can take one step initially that will build a sense of confidence in this broader discussion about immigration and there's nothing more important to the American people right now than just proving the point that we can secure the border.
Reagan Debate
In September of 2011, Governor Huntsman participated in the Republican debate at the Reagan library. He was asked about his views on immigration and stated that people should keep in mind that the issue was that dealt with real people. He stated that yes they came here illegally, but a solution could be found that was optimistic.
HUNTSMAN: I would just have to say that I agree with so much of what has been said here today.
President Reagan, when he made his decision back in 1987, he saw this as a human issue. And I hope that all of us, as we deal with this immigration issue, will always see it as an issue that resolves around real human beings.
Yes, they came here in an illegal fashion. And yes, they should be punished in some form or fashion.
I have two daughters that came to this country, one from China, one from India, legally. I see this issue through their eyes.
We can find a solution. If President Reagan were here, he would speak to the American people and he would lay out in hopeful, optimistic terms how we can get there, remembering full well that we're dealing with human beings here. We have to agree.
But let me just say one thing about legal immigration. Let's not lose sight of the fact that our legal immigration system is broken. And if we want to do something about attracting brain power to this country, if we want to lift real estate values.
For example, why is it that Vancouver is the fastest-growing real estate market in the world today? They allow immigrants in legally, and it lifts all votes (ph). And we need to focus as much on legal immigration.
TEA Party Debate
In September of 2011, Governor Huntsman participated in the Republican TEA Party debate. He spoke about his previous actions in giving driver's licenses to illegal aliens and his view on immigration.
BLITZER: Hold on a second, Governor Huntsman, you also signed legislation in Utah that gave driving privileges to illegal immigrants. Was that a good idea?
HUNTSMAN: Well, first of all, let me say for Rick to say that you can't secure the border I think is pretty much a treasonous comment.
MALE: I didn't hear that.
HUNTSMAN: Rick, we can secure the border. We can secure the border through means of fences, through technology, through the deployment of our National Guard troops, we can get it done. In fact, when the elected president of the United States, I would work with you and the other three border governors to ensure that through your law enforcement officials you can verify that that border is secure.
But I will tell you before Wolf here directs a question, they were given a driver's license before and they were using that for identification purposes. And I thought that was wrong. Instead we issued a driver privilege card, which in our state allowed our economy to continue to function. And it said in very bold letters, not to be used for identification purposes. It was a pragmatic local government driven fix and it proved that the tenth amendment works.
We believe in local fixes and solutions.
...
BLITZER: I know you want to respond, too, because he said that what you did in Utah was a mistake giving driving privileges to illegal immigrants.
HUNTSMAN: I think we can spend all night talking about where Mitt's been on all the issues of the day. And that would take forever. But let me just say that all the Latino voters, Hispanic voters want is opportunity, can we say that? The greatest thing that we can do for the people in this country is -- on illegal immigration is fix homeland security.
I mean, when are we going to have an honest conversation in this country about the root causes. We can't process people. The H1B visa process is broken. We need to bring in brain power to this country to shore up our economic might. We need to bring in foreign capital to raise real estate prices as well.
