November 13, 2007
Posted: 03:01 PM ET

Romney was critical of his rivals from both parties Tuesday.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (CNN) – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney took shots at his GOP and Democratic rivals Tuesday, accusing several of them of being soft on illegal immigration.

"There's a sanctuary state of mind that [New York Sen.] Hillary Clinton, and [former New York City] Mayor Giuliani, and [former Arkansas] Gov. Huckabee have," Romney said at a news conference. "They have provided — or support the idea of providing — tuition breaks to illegal aliens to institutions of higher learning, and that sanctuary state of mind flies in the face of the rule of law."

Clinton is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, while Giuliani and Huckabee are challenging Romney for the GOP presidential nomination.

A Giuliani campaign spokeswoman fired back, and criticized Romney for his own track record on the issue of illegal immigration.

"Once again Presidential Trail Mitt Romney completely ignores the record of Governor Mitt Romney," Maria Comella, Giuliani's deputy communications, said in an email statement. "Under Governor Mitt Romney the number of illegal immigrants skyrocketed, while he recommended millions of dollars in state aid to numerous sanctuary cities and to companies employing illegal immigrants, not to mention the illegals working on his own lawn."

– CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch

Filed under: Hillary Clinton • Iowa • Mike Huckabee • Mitt Romney • Rudy Giuliani


The Wood Wizard L V, NV   November 14th, 2007 11:44 am ET

While most may agree with is argument, there may be some of US who cannot help, but to doubt this mans sincerity. Meaning he is known as a person that has supported a landscaping company that hires illegal immigrants and many of them claimed he would greet these illegal immigrants laboring on his estate in their native language other than English.

We hear you politicians speak your double standards; so do not tell US you are going to be hard on illegal immigration while they are at your home tending to your pretty manicured grounds while out you are out of the home splurging on $300.00 manicured hair cut and strutting on the streets campaigning wearing $1,500.00 attire.

If you are against illegal immigration then do not support any legally licensed and/or illegal immigrant licensed company owned all across this nation and the people that hire people that are not legally documented in the United States.

IF YOU (candidate nominee for president); or any other Politian along with legally licensed employers here in the U. S. do not cater and/or hire illegal (aliens); immigrants, including ones with expired visas still here illegally. These people in the U. S. here now would not have a legally justified or fair reason to be here in the United States.

Show US some good reasons for all Politian’s currently committed and truly concerned about the welfare of legal American citizens; why these current Politian’s; that have not enforce laws they have created for our cities, towns and villages too enforce immigration laws and also to develop new consequences’ for legally licensed employers that continue offering employment to illegal immigrants’ and there growing numbers???!!!

Dave Lexington, KY   November 14th, 2007 10:26 am ET

Give him a break about the illegal immigrants landscaping his lawn. It's like you believe people have the words "I'm an illegal immigrant" posted on their forehead.

Chris, Macomb IL   November 14th, 2007 1:34 am ET

I'm not really sure how Romney can attack Huckabee here. His website clearly states his position on immigration and frankly it's air tight.

In particular it says "The Governor opposes and will not tolerate sanctuaries for illegals."

Frankly I like that Huck has a method (fair tax) by which illegal immigrants will have to pay taxes.

It would be nice if all those tourists and illegal immigrants were helping to pay our taxes. I love the idea.

Go Huck!

TRM   November 13th, 2007 8:09 pm ET

There shouldn't even be any further discussion about this. Enforce existing laws and that's that.. what in the heck is the deabte? Cut illegals off from all assistance and jobs and they will leave on their own…

http://democratequalssocialist.wordpress.com/

Mountaineer, Morgantown ,WV   November 13th, 2007 8:05 pm ET

Romney is a bigot promoting hate. People without proper documents (It is a better word to describe them) are fundamental for the economy of this country

Tom Dedham, Mass   November 13th, 2007 7:32 pm ET

I hired someone to put up siding on my house and it turned out that many of the crew was illegal, so would it have been alright for me to tell the contractor that I didn't want illegals anywhere near my house.

Would you be happy if I did that or how about Mitt saying that to his CONTRACTOR?

Guiliani and his campaign are flat out lying about the sanctuary city BS, a few city councils in our more BLEEPED UP areas took it upon THEMSELVES to declare themselves sanctuary cities and Romney was vocal about his being against it as Governor.

The Ghouliani campaign needs to focus on how they are going to beat Romney after he wins the first 3 primaries and how to change his 9-11 only script.

When people look at his record and his history, it will be Romney and Liz Dole VS whatever is left of Sillary.

Look forward to it.

Daniel, NY   November 13th, 2007 5:49 pm ET

New primary poll from Nevada has Romney running much stronger than before and challenging Giuliani… in what is a sign that Romney's appeal is going national now.

I. Wonder, Miami, FL   November 13th, 2007 5:47 pm ET

Why does Romney look so smarmy smiley?

Hank, Fort Myers, FL   November 13th, 2007 5:37 pm ET

So what kind of a deal would he make? Not better than American citizens…O.K. so your deal would be equivalent? Is this a line in the sand on illegal immigration or simply a better compromise? Sounds like a whole lotta nothing trying to look like a whole lotta something.

Mike   November 13th, 2007 5:22 pm ET

It's pretty obvious that several of the Canidates And most of our Congress doesn't understand the definiton of "Illegal" that's why they refer to them as "Undocumented".And that bringing them out of the shadows is going to solve anything.Their duty is to serve Americans first,but most of them want to serve and help illegals before those American Citizens they were elected to serve.America needs to wake to fact that we must fix our own problems before those who are not here legally.

Neill C., Montgomery, Al   November 13th, 2007 5:18 pm ET

I don't even get tuition breaks. And I'm a citizen.

Ben, San Diego, CA   November 13th, 2007 5:01 pm ET

To Greg,Dalton,GA
And so are the companies, hotels, restaurants, Wal-Mart’s, Target’s and the such who hire them knowing that they are in the country illegally. Which in turn makes you a criminal for conducting business with these companies and businesses. Unless of course you provide for yourself at all these different levels. So are you boycotting these businesses or are you just full of hot air??

Teresa, Tallahassee, FL   November 13th, 2007 5:00 pm ET

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Yes, people who hire illegals are breaking the law just as much as anyone who enters the country illegally. Let's adopt a two-prong approach to this issue and hold businesses who provide the jobs just as accountable as the people they are employing.

enock kebati, Rosemount, Minnessota   November 13th, 2007 5:00 pm ET

John, your jelous over the Clintons is A blessing to them. You will be a bigger losser come next year.

Terry, El Paso, TX   November 13th, 2007 5:00 pm ET

Cheap shot and shallow thinking on the part of Romney. What is his plan for deporting the 20 million illegals in the country? Who says that Mexico would even accept them? They don't have to. How are we going to prevent them from returning the next day?

I had a friend who owned a restaurant in El Paso. Just before lunch, her cook, dishwasher, and waitresses were rounded up by Immigration. They were all back at work for the dinner shift.

My comment to Romney supporters is this: how are you going to remove 20 million aliens from America? How do you plan to round them up? How long will it take? What parts of the Constitution will have to be suspended so you can kick in doors wherever illegals are suspected of hiding? How are you going to handle the riots in the southwestern states when you start to deport the relatives and friends of millions of legal residents and citizens? It is one thing to talk tough and another thing to actually do something.

Romney, being a corporate guy, will do nothing but talk. Corporate profits are built on cheap labor. He is lying to his supporters, but he's done that plenty of times. He's good at it.
"Don't you want our own children to receive the help first?" - wm., marietta , ga

No child in this nation should lack education, medical care, or good nutrition. The child is not guilty of any crime. Even the cold, flinty hearts of Conservatives should soften up a little for children, whether the child's name is Edward or Eduardo.

Disillusioned Republican, NC   November 13th, 2007 4:58 pm ET

More fear politics.

Fear of the illegal aliens taking away all those lawn mowing jobs…

How about Health Care, how about the Economy, how about a truly inventive way to fix Social Security?

No, more from Flip-Flop Mitt - fear the Mexicans - they want your women too……. I think I will vote Democratic this year - fool me once shame on you, fool me twice - it's another Bsh by a different name.

Kyle T. Nashville   November 13th, 2007 4:57 pm ET

Crack down on the businesses hiring Illegals? where is the tax money going to come from after that happens? The government has failed to secure the border, failed to incorporate good safegaurds to help employers hire legal workers and now you want to punish the companies that followed the government rules? Businesses have invested billions of dollars in hiring and training workers who are working on forged documents unbeknown to the employer. Amnesty should be given to employers to be able to keep their workforce of forged documented workers until new replacements can be trained to take over the jobs of the illegally documented worker. I agree with Romney in principle 100% I want to hear how we will deal with the 13 million illegal workers in the US already, Know who will replace them. They fill an important role in this country but they need to be law abiding.

Tim, Arlington, VA   November 13th, 2007 4:50 pm ET

The real question is whether Flip Romney will change his position in a week or two?

Newt G, Chicago ILL   November 13th, 2007 4:39 pm ET

Another Bush? Have you heard Romney talk? He is very articulate. Quite the opposite of Bush.
Romney would makes a great Presidential Candidate and would hopefully make a great President.

Greg,Dalton,GA   November 13th, 2007 4:39 pm ET

They are CRIMINALS and should be treated as such!!!

The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit (not the entitlement) of happiness   November 13th, 2007 4:32 pm ET

Romney's heart is in the right place…following the law. The question is whether or not he understands who to hold accountable for the illegal action. Yes we should protect and tighten the borders, but the bigger picture is to stop the flow at the source by cracking down on the company's hiring illegals.

Dan, Washington DC   November 13th, 2007 4:27 pm ET

Nowadays it is fashionable to score political points using illegals as a punching bag. Since they have no rights, they cannot punch back. Yet, they do the work that Americans do not want to do themselves. Obliterating 15 million people that this economy has absorbed as a sponge is not as easy as Tancredo, Dobbs or Romney want people to believe.
The critical question about identifying who they are (via driver licenses, legalization or others) is a national security one.
McCain, Giuliani and Clinton to varying degrees understand that a serious and realistic policy needs to be implemented to address this problem as a whole. It is not serious to continue to deny the problem hoping it will go away as some "anti-illegals" candidates currently do.

Brian, Las Vegas, NV   November 13th, 2007 4:15 pm ET

Jake,
Mitt did not "hire" illegals to mow his lawn–they were employees of the landscaping company he hired. So according to your logic every product or service we use that was made possible by an illegal makes us a fraud if we want tough immigration policy. There goes me buying food, have a house built, going to a hotel that has been cleaned, you name it. Mitt was one of the candidates who was the most critical of the McCain bill since it gave illegals amnesty. Quit twisting Mitt's positions to fit your obvious dislike for him.

Jake, Las Vegas, Nevada   November 13th, 2007 4:10 pm ET

to Jake in VA. Romney didn't support the amnesty bill, and he hired a company to do his lawn. They just happened to have illegals on the staff.

Do your home work

John, Michigan   November 13th, 2007 4:09 pm ET

Romney has the correct position on this issue. Clinton's position tipped the scale where I don't see voting for her. I did support Tancredo until his priority seemed to become scare Americans and bomb everyone else.

ronnie - knoxville, tn.   November 13th, 2007 4:08 pm ET

No matter where you stand on immigration, is it ever a good idea to let anyone come into this country illegally?

btw, ever notice it's the liberals who have grammar and punctuation errors?

tim in houston - "it's lessons? should it be "its lessons" - you don't need a possessive in this case.

"Don't tell I told you so…" - I assume you mean "don't say I didn't tell you…"

Kate, Aurora CO   November 13th, 2007 4:07 pm ET

While I agree with is argument I can't help but doubt his own sincerity. I mean he was busted employing a landscaping company that hired illegal immigrants and many of them claimed he would greet them in spanish. I mean, don't tell me you are going to be hard on illegal immigration while they are at your home tending to your pretty manicured yard. If you are against illegal immigration then don't hire them. If you don't hire them they won't have a reason to be here. Why don't these politians who are so concerned about the welfare of American citizens go after the employers of illegal immigrants??!!

Sharyn, CT   November 13th, 2007 4:06 pm ET

the same people that are against Illegal Immigration are the same people that shop at Walmart (who employ the most illegals out of any company). These people need to realize that if they really don't want to support illegals, then they shouldn't shop at Walmart.

Ron G, Stuart, FL   November 13th, 2007 4:00 pm ET

Have you people ever eaten in a restaurant ? If you boycotted every restaurant that has illegals cooks and busboys, there'd be no restaurants left.

Laura Tulsa, OK   November 13th, 2007 3:59 pm ET

Oh Jake M, that's just silly. Do you check the credentials of your lawn service employees or just write the check every month?

Flagship, Hartford, CT   November 13th, 2007 3:53 pm ET

First - tuition breaks to illegal aliens to institutions of higher learning means current ESL classes (English as a second language) where anyone legal or illegal can learn English for free as a public service.
They learn basic concepts like dialing 911 and basic laws.
I have been working for colleges for several years. NO illegal gets to take any course without legal papers, so this is a LIE the GOP have made up to get you angry.
Second - remove all the illegals and you will be paying $25.00 in higher food costs every night just eating at home. Are white or black americans ready to go out in the fields and bend over for 8-10 hours per day to pick our food? How much would you need to be paid the do that?
We need to be logical about what we say.
Mitt Romney can be dangerous to our current way of life. Do not be fooled.

tim,houston,tx   November 13th, 2007 3:48 pm ET

If America didn't learn it's lessons, I warn you this is another bush and you should be warned….Don't tell I told you so…

Andy, Capitol Hill, DC   November 13th, 2007 3:43 pm ET

"Clinton is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, while Giuliani and Huckabee are challenging Giuliani for the GOP presidential nomination."

Typo.

Dan, Saint Louis, MO   November 13th, 2007 3:42 pm ET

Romney is dead on about this issue. It is shocking to me how out of touch people like Hillary are about giving benefits to ILLEGAL immigrants. Huckabee and Giuliani have atrocious records on this as well. Rudy basically said he wants illegals to come to New York City to work and he'd give them all these benefits.

cnn consumer   November 13th, 2007 3:41 pm ET

Clinton is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, while Giuliani and Huckabee are challenging Giuliani for the GOP presidential nomination
Cnn you don't even have time to reread your article and see what you are writing has errors?

Pete, T.S. FL   November 13th, 2007 3:40 pm ET

To much truth in my earlier comment CNN?

Jake M, Fredericksburg, VA   November 13th, 2007 3:37 pm ET

Hey Flip Romney,

What about all those illegals you hired to mow your lawn? And what about your support of the McCain Amnesty Bill? You, sir, are a liar and 100% fraud.

wm., marietta , ga.   November 13th, 2007 3:31 pm ET

What I can't get my mind around is the generosity of the liberals when it comes to illegal aliens. Don't you want our own children to receive the help first?

MG, Nashua nh   November 13th, 2007 3:20 pm ET

Mit is right. illegals are illegal and they shouldnt be in our country, i cant blame them for wanting to be here, but i can blame hillary and the others for wanting to give them breaks, or worse licenses.

Crystale, Vancouver, WA   November 13th, 2007 3:18 pm ET

"while Giuliani and Huckabee are challenging Giuliani for the GOP presidential nomination."

Anyone care to edit this? :D

C_Munkie, Nashville Tennessee   November 13th, 2007 3:16 pm ET

Man, I really like this guy. Republicans need to wake up, Giuliani is no good for them. They should realize that they need stick with Romney. He has a good grip on things.

gail f, lexington ky   November 13th, 2007 3:08 pm ET

Oooooooooooooo he's an evil conservative … he wants to follow the law

xtina - chicago il   November 13th, 2007 3:07 pm ET

Gov. Romney is right. The way to deal with illegal immigrants is not to give them drivers' licenses.

Comments have been closed for this article

subscribe RSS Icon
About The Ticker

The latest political news from CNN's Best Political Team, with campaign coverage, 24-7. Sign up for our twice daily Ticker emails. Got a news tip or feedback? For complete political coverage, bookmark CNNPolitics.com.

CNN=Politics Screensaver

CNN=Politics ScreensaverTap into the power of The Situation Room. Download this powerful new tool that keeps you posted on the latest political news from the campaign trail.
Download (4.1 MB, PC only)

Follow us on Twitter

CNN on TwitterGet Ticker updates the moment they appear online via the Web, SMS, or instant messages.
Follow politicalticker

Categories
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
Home  |  World  |  U.S.  |  Politics  |  Entertainment  |  Health  |  Tech  |  Travel  |  Living  |  Business  |  Sports  |  Time.com
Podcasts  |  Blogs  |  CNN Mobile  |  Preferences |  Email Alerts  |  CNN Radio  |  CNN Shop  |  Site Map
© 2008 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by WordPress.com