By PETER BAKER - NEW YORK TIMES

May 19, 2010

WASHINGTON — President Obama joined with the visiting president of Mexico on Wednesday to denounce the new Arizona law aimed at stopping illegal immigrants, and to defend his administration’s record on securing United States-Mexico border.

Speaking to reporters in the Rose Garden, Mr. Obama called the new law “a misdirected expression of frustration over our broken immigration system” and said his government “has devoted unprecedented resources” to stanching the illegal flow of people into the country.

“I want everyone, American and Mexican, to know my administration is taking a very close look at the Arizona law,” he said. “We’re examining any implications, especially for civil rights, because in the United States of America, no law-abiding person, be they an American citizen, a legal immigrant, or a visitor or tourist from Mexico, should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/world/americas/20prexy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss