Romney Rips Rudy On Immigration

(CBS/AP)  In a surprisingly strong attack, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Republican rival Rudy Giuliani had turned New York City into a sanctuary for illegal immigrants during his two terms as mayor.

Immigration is a hot-button issue in the GOP and may play especially well in Iowa, an early battleground state where the federal government has raided meat processing plants employing illegals, and where some longtime residents feel their pay is being undercut by cheaper-working immigrants.

"If you look at lists compiled on Web sites of sanctuary cities, New York is at the top of the list when Mayor Giuliani was mayor," Romney said at while campaigning in Iowa. "He instructed city workers not to provide information to the federal government that would allow them to enforce the law. New York City was the poster child for sanctuary cities in the country."

Giuliani, also campaigning in Iowa, offered this response: "Frankly, that designation would not apply to New York City. What you got to look at in fairness to is the overall results — and no city in terms of crime, safety, dealing with illegality of all different kinds has done a better job than New York City."

For contrast, Romney has pointed to his own performance on immigration as the governor of Massachusetts. Romney deputized state police to enforce immigration laws and denied driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Romney's attack on Giuliani came just three days before the Iowa Straw Poll, a nonbinding beauty contest among the Republican presidential contenders.

In the days leading up it, Romney is airing a new television ad in the state in which he encourages supporters to attend the event, portrays himself as an outsider to Washington and takes swipes at both Republicans and Democrats on the immigration issue.

"Washington politicians in both parties have proven they can't control spending, and they won't control our borders," Romney says in the ad. "I will, but I need your help to do it."

Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain are not participating in the straw poll.

[standlee5]

Mitt makes a good point. NYC was the first sanctuary city anarchy. And I thought Guiliani was tough on crime.

[prinzowhales]

As far as 'Hispanics' in the American West...there were a few thousand of them scattered from California to Texas and they were mostly Spaniards who had land grants from the King of Spain. In Texas they were 'Texicans' and fought alongside the Anglos against Santa Ana. Neither Mexico, nor Mexicans have a legitimate claim to the Southwest--any more than Lizzie II has any claim to the US, or that other inbred, Juan Carlos, King of Spain and King of Jerusalem, the royal who, with Guiliani the Mafiosi, wants to take over choice US highways that are already paid for by the taxpayers and charge tolls on them.

During the Dark Ages, villains with titles would stake out a river or a road and charge tolls for passage--which naturally gave them power to grant advantages to favored traders. Little difference between them and the Union Pacific and other roads during the age of the Robber Barons--shipping Rockefellar Oil at cut rate so that others couldn't compete with it.

[nottellin1]

As old confederate general Nathan Bedford Forest used to say (from my hoem state!)-- the one that gets there the fustest with the mustest wins - and our Hispanic friends whom we stole Texas and most of the Southwest from anyway are just returning home.
Posted by talkingham at 01:13 PM : Aug 09, 2007

FYI-After the Mexican American war the US paid Mexico 5 million dollars for the states that were Mexico. I wonder how much that 5 million is in today's dollars. Do you think Mexico would be willing to pay to have those states back? Oh, I forgot, Mex doesn't have to pay because the invasion is on already.

[klingon69]

As old confederate general Nathan Bedford Forest used to say (from my hoem state!)-- the one that gets there the fustest with the mustest wins - and our Hispanic friends whom we stole Texas and most of the Southwest from anyway are just returning home.
Texas was surrendered after the battle of San Jacinto, remember, the one where the great and glorious leader of the Mexicvan Peoples, Santa Anna tried to excape dressed as a peasant while leaving his soldiers to face the music for the slaughters at Goliad and The Alamo. We did not steal Texas from Mexico, anymore than we stole America from the English.

[notfredhed]

Rudy%u2019s retort is not just disingenuous, it is an outright lie.
The very definition of a Sanctuary City.
%u201CNew York City's policy toward undocumented immigrants is called "Executive Order 124."
%u201CThis order was issued seven years by Mayor Ed Koch and reissued by my predecessor, Mayor Dinkins, and by me.%u201D (emphasis mine)
"Executive Order 124" protects undocumented immigrants in New York City from being reported to the I.N.S. while they are using city services that are critical for their health and safety, and for the health and safety of the entire City.
There are times when undocumented immigrants must have a substantial degree of protection.%u201D

Monday, September 30, 1996
Archives of Rudy Giuliani
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/96/immig.html

"If you come here and you work hard and you happen to be in an undocumented status, you're one of the people who we want in this city. You're somebody that we want to protect, and we want you to get out from under what is often a life of being like a fugitive, which is really unfair."
ABC News August 8, 2007
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3459498&page=1

Whether or not you think illegal immigration is an important issue, whether or not you agree with Giuliani%u2019s reasons for keeping NYC a Sanctuary City, it is clear:
Rudy%u2019s retort to Romney%u2019s assertion is not just disingenuous, it is an outright lie. Have you not been lied to enough by politicians? I have.

[notfredhed]

Rudy%u2019s retort is not just disingenuous, it is an outright lie.
The very definition of a Sanctuary City.
%u201CNew York City's policy toward undocumented immigrants is called "Executive Order 124."
%u201CThis order was issued seven years by Mayor Ed Koch and reissued by my predecessor, Mayor Dinkins, and by me.%u201D (emphasis mine)
"Executive Order 124" protects undocumented immigrants in New York City from being reported to the I.N.S. while they are using city services that are critical for their health and safety, and for the health and safety of the entire City.
There are times when undocumented immigrants must have a substantial degree of protection.%u201D

Monday, September 30, 1996
Archives of Rudy Giuliani
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/96/immig.html

"If you come here and you work hard and you happen to be in an undocumented status, you're one of the people who we want in this city. You're somebody that we want to protect, and we want you to get out from under what is often a life of being like a fugitive, which is really unfair."
ABC News August 8, 2007
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3459498&page=1

Whether or not you think illegal immigration is an important issue, whether or not you agree with Giuliani%u2019s reasons for keeping NYC a Sanctuary City, it is clear:
Rudy%u2019s retort to Romney%u2019s assertion is not just disingenuous, it is an outright lie. Have you not been lied to enough by politicians? I have.

[red164]

kenner116.....


The Democratic candidates won't even allow an open discussion about illegal immigration that's how scared they're of the issue. But like another poster said the majority of Americans showed how they felt and don't want amnesty. Besides that fact, Giulianis a loser; the man built his reputation on the rubble of other peoples bodies just like that other loser G.W. The NYFD cannot stand Rudy just watch the streaming video of this firefighter.

Firefighter John Schroeder, assigned to Engine Company 10 directly across the street from the World Trade Center complex, holds back tears and describes his first-hand experience on Sept. 11th in an emotive interview with We Are Change and Loose Change. We Are Change

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/august2007/090807_firefighters_account.htm

Schroeder also slammed Rudy Giuliani for ordering the police to arrest the firefighters after they refused to stop digging for their buddies.
"To have us stop digging for our brothers on All Saints Day because they found the gold - it was an absolute crime - because you know if Giuliani's son or any family member was in that pit on that day then he would dig until China to find him."
"To stop our digging and then send the cops out on us, c'mon now something's wrong here," he added.

[talkingham]

Unless you Romney chicken hawk lovers want to re-invent the Gestapo (and you probably do) you're a little late on this illegal alien thing. Probably closer to 20-million than 12-million here if you count the Chinese (and you probably don't).

As old confederate general Nathan Bedford Forest used to say (from my hoem state!)-- the one that gets there the fustest with the mustest wins - and our Hispanic friends whom we stole Texas and most of the Southwest from anyway are just returning home.

Maybe Romney's 5 sons who have refused to participate in US military service could join the border patrol or better yet run it if he gets elected.

[tucano2]

"Sanctuary" promoters support criminals, and do you want an accessory to criminal activity in ANY elected position?

[gretagreen]

I hope this doesn't turn into a contest as to who hates illegal immigrants the most.

This relatively recent outrage and hostility toward illegal immigrants has gotten out of control - and it's spilled over to hostility (and fear and hatred) against legal immigrants -- especially Mexicans. I mean, really, how can one tell?

I support smart compassionate changes in our immigration laws that would give some of them (especially those who came here as minors without any choice in the matter) an opportunity to become legal.

Also, I support strong border and port control, but I cannot support any candidate who is stupid enough to think building a fence across the Mexican border offers any kind of security or control. We need armed guards, and it's going to cost a lot, but better that than money lost in Iraq.