Other articles by Maria Elena Salinas:

Small margin of error for El Salvador leader Priest may be poster child for anti-celibacy debate A man of the cloth but still just a man Flu deepens Mexico's suffering Obama's support vital to DREAM Act Latin America seeking partnerships with US Obama team takes on Mexican drug war Tone of immigration debate promotes hatred My opinion Maria Elena Salinas : Immigration reform should be a priority My opinion Maria Elena Salinas : Obama must name more Latinos to posts

Health Care
Sierra Tucson
Eating Disorders Program Coordinator Administrative & Professional
Jorgensen Brooks Group
Counselor Health Care
Dependable Health Services
Physical Therapists Construction
West-Press
Printing Health Care
CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE
DIRECTOR OF HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT Mechanical
Komatsu Equipment Co
Resident Field Mechanic Administrative & Professional
Tucson Urban League
CEO/President

Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Rudolph Giuliani are in a fierce competition to win over the hearts and votes of the conservative base of their party. To do so, they have embarked upon a battle to determine which one is more anti-immigrant. They want to make sure members of their party get the message that they are willing to go the extra mile to crush those "illegals."

It now seems to be pretty clear that immigration will be one of the issues — if not the key issue — that will be driving the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. And the more hard-line approach a candidate takes, the better the chances of winning the nomination.

In the past couple of weeks, Romney and Giuliani have been going at it — the former Massachusetts governor accusing the ex-New York mayor of being soft on undocumented workers by creating a haven for immigrants in New York; Giuliani fighting back by denying the accusations and claiming to have been tough on all kinds of lawlessness while running the city, and reminding Romney that he didn't seem to complain when at least three cities in his home state declared themselves "sanctuaries."

The battle of the "anti-immigrants" started with sound bites in speeches and interviews. But in trying to get the upper hand, Romney stepped up his rhetoric with a new campaign radio ad to be aired in Iowa and New Hampshire criticizing so-called sanctuary cities, accusing them of "becoming magnets that encourage illegal immigration and undermine secure borders." Among them, of course, is New York.

Earlier, Giuliani, in a speech in South Carolina, laid out his new immigration policy, stating, "We can end illegal immigration; I promise you we can end it." Giuliani proposed, among other things, to establish a universal identification card for all foreign visitors, and create not only a physical fence but a technological one that would block the entrance of immigrants across the border.

Now, this debate wouldn't be so surprising if it wasn't for the fact that it is so blatantly politically motivated. As mayor of New York, Giuliani was singing a different tune when it came to his position on immigrants.

Here are some examples: Back in 1996 in a speech at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Giuliani said: "We are never going to be able to totally control immigration. If you were to totally control immigration to the United States, you might very well destroy the economy of our country." Then there was the interview with Tim Russert on "Meet the Press" in February 2000. "There isn't a mayor or public official in this country that's more strongly pro-immigrant than I am," he said. Wait, there's more. The same year, the New York mayor said, "immigrants are a very, very positive force for the city; in fact, immigration is the key to this city's success." Then, of course, there is Giuliani's endorsement of the Kennedy/McCain immigration reform bill in 2006, in which he said immigrants "should have a way to earn citizenship."

On the other hand, as governor of Massachusetts, Romney was not necessarily viewed as an anti-immigrant hard-liner. The number of undocumented immigrants grew dramatically in the state during his only term, according to a study by the Pew Hispanic Center. And published reports indicate that undocumented immigrants from Guatemala worked on the landscaping team at Romney's mansion for a decade. There is no indication he attempted to look into their legal status, but it seems that he liked their work, or they wouldn't have stayed so long.

This flip-flopping on the immigration issue by both candidates should come as no surprise. Recent polls show that Republican voters overwhelmingly favor cutting off funds for sanctuary cities, want the government to keep building the border fence and favor a universal identification card for foreigners — very specific issues that Romney and Giuliani are focusing on. Coincidence? Hardly. By conviction or convenience, we can expect some strong language against immigrants coming from Republican candidates as the campaign for the White House heats up.

My opinion