The ongoing war of words that's been raging between Governor Carcieri and Providence Mayor Cicilline escalated again yesterday when Carcieri appeared on FOX News' "The O'Reilly Factor" to talk about the issue of illegal immigration.

Immigration enforcement has been at the forefront of the news since illegal immigrant Marco Riz raped a Warwick woman despite having been previously arrested by Providence police - his status as an illegal immigrant somehow slipped through the cracks.

Mayor Cicilline responded in a statement emailed to ABC6 this morning:

"There is a difference between finding real solutions to the challenges of illegal immigration and stoking the issue for political points, which is what Governor Carcieri is doing. There has never been a time in our history when inflaming the immigration issue has gotten anyone a job, paid anybody's bills or put a halt to rising food and fuel costs. Our country's failure to curb illegal immigration is one of many serious problems facing our nation right now, but playing politics only diverts us from finding real solutions."