“One of the great challenges facing us is that we do not commit the same mistakes with our growing Hispanic population that we did with African Americans 150 years ago and beyond. We’re still paying the price for the pathetic manner in which this country handled that.”

He went on to describe the opportunity as a God-given second chance for America.

This is the same governor who drew intense criticism in the last legislative session for trying to help young Hispanics, educated in Arkansas’ public schools, by getting them in-state college tuition and letting them compete for state-funded scholarships. So he knows full well that he’s treading on difficult political ground when he brings up anything that relates even marginally to immigration.