Mission, TX — Under fire from his Republican opponents over his immigration record, Rudy Giuliani today defended his policies as New York City mayor saying they helped him reduce crime in record proportions.

“(Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson) have the luxury of just sort of saying anything they want but they have no record for reducing crime. I have a record for reducing crime, reducing illegality,” he said. “Obviously the policies that I used, even with regard to illegal immigration must have worked.”

In recent weeks, both Thompson and Romney have attacked Giuliani for governing a “sanctuary city”–in which state services become available to illegal immigrants, among other benefits. Giuliani inherited New York City as a “sanctuary city” in 1993 and reissued an executive order extending the status during his tenure, but says his policies were crucial to reducing crime.

“The policies that I utilized with regard to illegal immigration were in the context of overall policies that probably were the most successful in the history of the country in creating an orderly, legal, lawful society,” he added. “Neither one of them had the record of reducing crime that I had, did they? Not even close. I reduced crime more than any other mayor, any other governor, in that period of time.”