In response to the strong statements of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney which tagged New York as a haven for illegal immigrants, Mayor Michael Bloomberg told CNN that, "New York's strength has always been and always will be its constant flux of immigrants. We welcome immigrants, want more of them, and without them this city would not have a future and I believe this country wouldn't have a future." He acknowledges the contribution of the immigrants to the development of the country and that these people should be given a chance to have a better life. He believes that the policy of New York to allow people to seek help during medical emergencies without fear of being questioned about their immigration status is but a justifiable policy to save lives.
Bloomberg’s statements were echoed by the Giuliani campaign which also lauded the immigrants for their contribution to the City of New York. However, the Giuliani campaign stressed that it only favors legal immigration and will not tolerate people who come into American territory without going through the proper immigration channels.
In response to the statements of mayor Bloomberg, Kevin Madden, the spokesperson of Romney told CNN that mayor Bloomberg did not make any distinctions between illegal and legal immigrants. He stressed that Romney is not totally against immigration. In fact, the Republican presidential candidate supports legal immigrants. According to Madden, what Romney is trying to prevent is the influx of illegal immigrants that may compromise the security and stability of the American nation.
