LITTLE ROCK—Mike Huckabee as governor preached the gospel of compassion when faced with efforts to restrict state services to illegal immigrants. Mike Beebe preaches the rule of law.

The Democratic governor is facing the same push for more state level immigration provisions that his Republican predecessor successfully bucked. Instead of using a preacher’s flair, Beebe’s using a lawyer’s pen to parse his words on a proposed ballot measure aimed at illegal immigrants.

The day before a group called Secure Arkansas launched its signature gathering push to put its initiated act on the November ballot, Beebe dealt it a blow by announcing his opposition. The group hopes to put before voters a proposal that would require those older than 13 who seek benefits from a state agency to sign an oath saying they live legally in the country.

Unlike opponents who argue the that measure unfairly targets immigrants—illegal or otherwise—Beebe cast the issue as one of expanded government rather than discrimination.

“All of the major provisions it proposes are already covered by federal or state laws, and this ballot title will create bigger government and cost Arkansans money,” Beebe said. “Passing this initiative would merely re-state these same laws and add additional bureaucracy to Arkansas in the process.”

Within a matter of days, though, Beebe’s office acknowledged that he did not know that admission procedures at the state’s two largest schools could give illegal immigrants in-state tuition rates. In response, the state’s higher education director ordered all two-year and four-year colleges and universities to ask potential students if they are in the country legally.

But instead of winning over advocates Beebe may have aimed to please with his carefully worded opposition, he earned scorn from some of them.