ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) _ Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney scornfully debated immigration in a testy personal exchange in which Giuliani accused Romney of employing illegal immigrants at his home and running a "sanctuary mansion.''
Giuliani criticized Romney after the former Massachusetts governor claimed Giuliani had retained New York's status as a sanctuary city while he was mayor.
Romney said it would "not be American'' to check the papers of workers employed by a contractor simply because they have a "funny
accent.'' He had landscapers at his Massachusetts home who turned
out were in the country illegally.
The exchange came at the start of an innovative CNN-YouTube debate that forced the candidates to confront immigration immediately.
The audience, however, booed Giuliani as he tried to persist in his criticism of Romney.