Washington, May 16: US President Barack Obama has been strongly criticized for condemning a new law in Arizona that calls for a crackdown on illegal immigration.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said on Saturday that the move is Arizona’s attempt to enforce immigration laws because the federal government won’t do it.
“In clear unison we say, ‘Mr. President: Do your job. Secure our border,'” Palin defended the controversial state law when she appeared with Brewer at a news conference.
The law makes unauthorized immigration a state crime and empowers police to question individuals about their immigration status if there is a “reasonable suspicion.”
The immigration law takes effect on July 29 if it is not blocked by pending court challenges.
President Obama said last month the new measure may not be consistent with federal law, adding that “the recent efforts in Arizona … threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans.”
Critics say the new immigration law will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics.
According to a new poll conducted by La Raza, the main Hispanic organization in the US, two-thirds of Arizona Hispanics who are American citizens or legal residents oppose the law.
——Agencies