(FORTUNE Magazine) – While political leaders across the country talk loudly about illegal immigrants as a costly burden, the two most prominent politicians in New York . . . describe them as a boon . . . Governor Mario M. Cuomo . . . said yesterday in an interview: ''. . . I love immigrants. Legal, illegal -- they're not to be despised.'' Last week, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani gave an even more spirited defense of illegal immigrants, virtually urging them to settle in New York City . . . Mr. Giuliani said, ''If you come here and you work hard and you happen to be in an undocumented status, you're one of the people who we want in this city. You're somebody that we want to protect.'' -- From a news report in the New York Times.