Tea party activists plan to picket Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s visit to Council Bluffs, Iowa in protest of Perry’s recent comments on immigration policy, reports the Iowa Independent.

Perry came under criticism in the wake of remarks made at a recent debate that the border can’t be secured and his defense of his state’s tuition policy for some undocumented immigrants. Craig Halverson, national director of the Minutemen Patriots, told The Des Moines Register his group will picket the Texas Republican’s Friday appearance on grounds that he is weak on immigration and not supportive enough of American workers.

During the debate, hosted by CNN and the Tea Party Express, Perry discussed a Texas law that allows some children of immigrants who have entered the country illegally to attend state-run higher education facilities, pay in-state tuition, and receive fee assistance.

“I’m proud that we are having those individuals be contributing members of our society rather than telling them, ‘You can go be on the government dole,’” Perry said, who held up the 2001 law as bipartisan and an issue of states’ rights.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, though a supporter of Perry’s candidacy, has stated that he does not agree with Perry’s rhetoric regarding immigration. Ann Coulter has also called Perry “a little bit too much like George Bush” when it comes to immigration, reports the Iowa Independent.

In response, Perry appears to have veered away from his stump speech selections to focus more on his faith, the Iowa Independent reports.