In the Republican presidential candidates’ debate last night, foreign policy issues again dominated, especially how to handle illegal immigration.

When Fox News host Chris Wallace said Mitt Romney did nothing as governor of Massachusetts to “stop Cambridge, Somerville or Orleans, all of which proclaim themselves to be sanctuaries.” Romney responded, “the governors aren’t responsible for mayors who are not following the law,” and stressed his belief that federal funding for “sanctuary cities” should be reduced.

In response to Romney’s criticism that he ran New York City as a sanctuary for illegal aliens, Rudy Giuliani said his program allowed immigrations to report crimes without worry they would be deported. This was essential in a city “that was the crime capital of America,” Giuliani said, adding, “I didn’t have the luxury of, you know, political rhetoric.”

On Iraq, Romney said if General Petraeus’ report next week indicates that the troop surge is working, the United States should “start bringing back our troop levels, slowly but surely, and play more of a support role over time.” He also said he anticipates U.S. troops in a “standby mode in surrounding nations.”

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) continued to stress that “the surge is working.”

Anti-war candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) said troops should be completely pulled out. “The people who say there will be a bloodbath [upon withdrawal] are the ones who said it would be a cakewalk, it would be slam dunk, and that it would be paid for by oil,” he said.

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) pointed out that “the war is not actually in Iraq; the war is with radical Islam” and called for a U.S. disengagement “as the police force in Iraq.”

After the debate, former Sen. Fred Thompson declared his candidacy (SFChron) for the Republican nomination. Thompson supported the invasion of Iraq and opposes a timetable for withdrawal.