Cambridge, Si: New York, No
New, stupid radio ad from Mitt Romney:
Immigration laws don't work if they're ignored. That's the problems with cities like Newark, San Francisco and New York City that adopt sanctuary policies. Sanctuary cities become magnets that encourage illegal immigration and undermine secure borders. As governor, Mitt Romney didn't wait on Washington. He acted to make our imm laws work. Mitt Romney is the exceptional governor who took a stand so state police could enforce federal immigration laws.
Why do I say it's "stupid"? Because Romney presided over three sanctuary cities in Massachusetts. As Phil Klein of the American Spectator pointed out:
Despite the fact that Cambridge was openly a sanctuary city, the Romney administration did not make any attempt to reduce state aid—a policy Romney is now advocating at the federal level.
Earlier today, I spoke with John Clifford, a press spokesman for Cambridge Mayor Kenneth Reeves, and asked whether the city remembers any pressure, financial or otherwise, applied by the Romney administration asking them to change their sanctuary status when it was up for renewal last year.
"Absolutely not," Clifford responded. I followed up by asking whether the Democratic government of Cambridge had clashed with the Republican administration of Romney at any time during his term as governor. Clifford laughed. "He never took on Cambridge, except out of state."
Other sanctuary cities in Massachusetts include Somerville and Orleans.
Here's an article from 2006 about Cambridge debating its sanctuary city status. I looked for the part when Mitt Romney sends in state troopers with flame throwers to clean out Ecuadorantown, but it was probably censored by the liberal MSM.
Every time Romney makes one of these ridiculous misstatements he becomes a weaker general election candidate. Voters that care about immigration loathe sanctuary cities, and Romney's laid the groundwork for a Democrat to get to his right on that by simply pointing out his flip-flop.