Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Tuesday criticized attacks on Arizona's controversial immigration-enforcement law by President Barack Obama and others as politically motivated to stir up Democratic voters in a tough election year. "It is over-the-top, and it's really to incite and energize some of Obama's base," Palin told conservative Fox News personality Sean Hannity. "If you look at the polls in the midterm elections in November, this is one issue that they really feel that they need to grab hold of. Because much of the Democrat Party coming up in this November midterm election is a sinking ship, and they have to have a couple of lifeboats out there and they believe that this is one."
The Arizona law is considered the toughest state immigration measure in the United States because it would make being in the country illegally a state crime. Local police officers also can inquire about a person's immigration status if they reasonably suspect that the person is in the country illegally. It likely will face multiple court challenges.
"This law in Arizona that has recently been signed essentially replicates, duplicates a federal law anyway, so I don't know why Obama has a problem with that," Palin continued to Hannity. "It is telling the federal government that they better wake up, buck up and do their job in securing our borders."
Obama on Friday called Arizona's law "misguided," but acknowledged that the federal government's failure to confront the immigration issue in a comprehensive way was at least partly responsible.
"Indeed, our failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others," Obama said. "And that includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe."
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Justice Department was studying the Arizona law and may make "a court challenge."
Palin in 2008 was picked by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to be the GOP vice-presidential candidate. She now is a Fox News contributor and a possible 2012 presidential hopeful. Last month, Palin campaigned in Tucson and Mesa for McCain's re-election.
