 Teachers pointed out the city's then budget surplus and the number of teachers leaving the city.Giuliani called for merit pay based on student test scores, a plan which was derided by teachers as ineffective.Giuliani was criticized for embracing illegal immigrants because of his continuation of a sanctuary city policy of preventing city employees from contacting the Immigration and Naturalization Service about immigration violations, on the grounds that illegal aliens must be able to take actions such as sending their children to school or reporting crime and violations without fear of deportation.