Obama Administration Will Challenge Ariz.'s Law
Gov. Brewer said she's angry over comments by Clinton

POSTED: 10:37 am MST June 18, 2010

PHOENIX -- CBS News is reporting that a senior administration official has said the federal government will indeed formally challenge Arizona's immigration law when Justice Department lawyers are finished building the case.

Gov. Jan Brewer said Thursday she's angry over comments by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton during an interview in Ecuador that announced the Justice Department "will be bringing a lawsuit against the act."

"Gov. Brewer is obviously disappointed in how this was handled," said Paul Senseman, Brewer's director of communication. "You'd think they'd at least have the respect to notify our citizens first."

A video of an interview with Clinton and a TV station from Ecuador circulated on the Web on Thursday. In it, Clinton said: "President Obama has spoken out against the law because he thinks the federal government should be determining immigration policy. And the Justice Department, under his direction, will be bringing a lawsuit against the act."

When Governor Brewer met with President Obama earlier this month, she asked that the Justice Department not file a lawsuit against Arizona's Senate Bill 1070.

Five lawsuits have already been filed in federal court, and Brewer said one more would be a waste of both state and federal taxpayer dollars.

Brewer's office and the White House both insist they are still ironing out a schedule for Obama's staff to travel to Arizona to share details about the President's immigration plan to help the state. Brewer also said her invitation remains open to Obama to come see the state's border problems for himself.

It's unclear why Clinton made the comment because immigration law is not her area. She couldn't be reached for comment.