Romney attacks Thompson on immigration

October 30, 2007

Concord, New Hampshire - Mitt Romney said Fred Thompson was wrong for misrepresenting his position on immigration.

"As Governor I deputized our state police to be able to enforce immigration laws throughout the state and when a bill came to my desk saying that the children of illegal aliens were going to get a tuition break at school I vetoed that. I insisted on English immersions in our schools," Romney said.

"So during the years we are talking about I was fighting to protect legal immigration and end illegal immigration. Sen. Thompson as I recall was a United States senator. What was he doing on this issue when he was in the Senate? I think he's a Freddy come lately to the immigration issue and I think my record as someone who has fought to protect legal immigration but to stop illegal immigration stands up against anybody's in the country."

Romney reiterated his proposal to reign in federal funding to sanctuary cities, and added, he was glad Thompson had "bought on to the view that I espoused."

Romney later gave credit to Rep. Tom Tancredo for the original idea.