Giuliani Campaign Press Release - Mitt's Fitts: Immigration Edition

"Campaign Trail Mitt Romney's newfound interest in illegal immigration stands in stark contrast to his record as Governor. On Governor Romney's watch, the number of illegal immigrants in Massachusetts skyrocketed, aid to Massachusetts sanctuary cities went through the roof and Governor Romney even went so far as to hire illegals to work on his lawn. Once again, what Campaign Trail Romney says has very little in common with what Governor Romney did."

– Katie Levinson, Communications Director

Imagine How Upset He'll Be When He Sees

Governor Romney's Immigration Record…

Pew Hispanic Center Indicated That Between 2002 And 2004, Massachusetts Became A "New Large State" For Unauthorized Migrant Population, With A Total Of 200,000-250,000 Illegal Immigrants, Just One Of Six States To Earn Label. (Jeffrey S. Passel, "Unauthorized Migrants: Numbers And Characteristics," Pew Hispanic Center, 6/14/05)

Romney's Last Minute Agreement With Federal Government To Allow State Troopers To Enforce Immigration Laws Was Rescinded Before It Was Ever Implemented. "While it is technically true that Romney 'signed an agreement with the federal government to allow state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws,' he only did so in the closing weeks of his term, and the program never actually went into effect because it was rescinded by Romney's successor even before the state troopers began training." (Philip Klein, "Sanctuary Cities in Romney's Massachusetts," American Spectator's Blog, www.spectator.com, 8/9/07)

Romney Couldn't Even Enforce Immigration Laws In State Government Payrolls. "A Globe analysis of nine recent public works projects … revealed that of 242 workers on weekly payroll lists, more than a third appeared to lack legitimate Social Security numbers. On one of the payrolls reviewed, for masonry work on the UMass dormitory project, nearly two-thirds of the contractor's 87 workers had bogus or questionable Social Security numbers. … A spokesman for Governor Mitt Romney said it was unsurprising state money was used to pay undocumented immigrants. 'The governor is not surprised that our current immigration laws are a mess,' said Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom." (Jonathan Saltazman and Yvonne Abraham, "Fake IDs Are Rife At State Job Sites," The Boston Globe, 6/18/06)

Or In His Own Driveway. "The [illegal immigrant lawn] worker in Copado [Guatemala] said a state trooper stationed in Romney's driveway once inquired about his immigration status, about six months ago. Saenz, the company owner, who was at the property at the time, told the trooper that the worker was in the country legally, but had forgotten his papers, the worker told the Globe. The trooper never inquired again, said the worker, who repeatedly returned to the governor's property but avoided the trooper." (Jonathan Saltzman, "Illegal Immigrants Toiled For Governor Guatemalans Say Firm Hired Them," The Boston Globe, 12/1/06)

As Governor, Mitt Romney Recommended Over $408 Million In State Aid To Massachusetts Sanctuary Cities Cambridge, Orleans, Somerville, Brookline, Brewster And Lexington. (Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Fiscal Affairs Division Website, http://www.mass.gov/bb/, Accessed 8/8/07)

During Romney's Term, Proposed State Aid To These Sanctuary Cities Increased 4.07%, From $103,218,421 In FY2004 To $107,419,246 In FY2007. (Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Fiscal Affairs Division Website, "Governor's Recommended Budgets FY2004 To FY2007, http://www.mass.gov/bb/, Accessed 8/8/07)