Rudy Giuliani: NYC didn't give sanctuary to illegal aliens (!?)

In a move reminiscent of the debate over the word "amnesty", Rudy Giuliani now appears to be claiming that New York City wasn't a sanctuary for illegal aliens on his watch. That's despite him suing the federal government to try to prevent them from overturning an executive order Ed Koch signed making it such a sanctuary and his support for that order. Get out your Clintonian Parsing Handbook and follow along:

At a town hall-style meeting with about 100 voters at a technical college in Concord on Tuesday, Giuliani encountered a voter who asked why the former mayor made "New York City a sanctuary for illegal aliens."

"You must be talking about another candidate," said Giuliani, who went on to argue that his administration urged the federal government to deport as many illegal immigrants as possible.

"Here are the three areas that you have distorted into this view that I gave sanctuary to illegal immigrants," said Giuliani, turning his back on the voter and addressing the other voters, seated on couches and loveseats around him.

He said that, as mayor he had to make sure that all kids went to school, that everyone needed access to hospitals and that illegal immigrants needed to be able to inform the police about crimes without fear of deportation.

"That's why you are wrong," said Giuliani.

"As mayor of New York City," he said. "If I was nothing else, I was rational and sensible."

Immigration2007a · Thu, 07/12/2007 - 12:47 · · Importance: 1