Rudy for Legalization of Immigrants

Rudy gave an interview to Diario de México in which he expresses: 1) support for the legalization on America's undocumented workers; and 2) opposition to a physical wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Rudy proves again that he's an unconventional and fearless politician.

Giuliani asks for legalization of immigrants Diario de México, 2/8/07. (Reprinted The Independent Press Association NY's Voices That Must Be Heard)

Possible Republican contender for the U.S. presidential race, Rudolph Giuliani, said that the wall between the United States and Mexico should be based on technology. He announced his belief that undocumented immigrants who are currently in the country should be legalized.

In an interview this week, which he held with the intention of taking steps toward formalizing his candidacy for the Republican nomination, the ex-mayor of New York addressed in detail his position on immigration.

“There should be legalization for those who are (already) here. There should be a legal program while security along the border is strengthened,” Giuliani said.

He indicated that the ability to speak and read English and knowledge of U.S. history should be among the conditions for legalization of the millions of undocumented people who live in the country.

“It isn’t an amnesty; it means earning citizenship,” said the ex-mayor, who hopes to formalize his candidacy in the next few weeks.

On the other hand, he said, “I believe that, with the wall, it should be, honestly, a technological barrier,” to be able to “photograph people, watch them, know who is around there, and record them,” Giuliani told Fox Television.

He explained, just as his party’s leader Mel Martinez did, that the physical wall does not make sense, since the only people who could construct it would be the undocumented workers they are intending to leave outside of it.

The investment in technology, said Giuliani, would yield better and more effective results, since it would allow, in the medium and long term, vigilance of everyone who enters the country by crossing the border.

“I support security on our borders. I believe that security is an enormously important topic” after the 2001 terrorist attacks, he added.

Giuliani is considered a solid candidate for the Republican nomination, but his possibilities will be put to the test when the most conservative voters from his party analyze his positions on social matters.

On the topics of abortion, gay rights and gun control, Giuliani holds much more entrist views than most Republicans.