(CNN) – Within hours of the Justice Department's announcement Tuesday that it would file a lawsuit challenging Arizona's tough new immigration law, thousands of contributions began flowing in to a legal defense fund set up by Gov. Jan Brewer to defend the bill she signed in April.
By the end of Wednesday, more than 6,300 donations totaling more than $300,000 had been processed through KeepAZsafe.com. More than 10,000 contributions totaling nearly $500,000 have rolled in to the fund since its inception in mid-June, according to an analysis conducted by the state and provided to CNN.
The donations, which range from $5 to $2,000, have come from every state in the country.
(CNN) - The same day President Obama is delivering a high profile speech on immigration, a web video is making the rounds featuring a frustrated Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer imploring the president to "do your job" when it comes to securing the borders.
In the web video posted earlier this week, Brewer stands in front of recently erected signs 80 miles from Arizona's Mexican border that warn travelers "smuggling and illegal immigration may be encountered in this area."
"Two weeks ago I met with President Obama, he promised that we would get word from his administration on what they were going to do to secure the border. Well, we finally got the message, these signs," Brewer says. "I'm 80 miles away from the border and only 30 miles away from Arizona's capital. This is an outrage."
(CNN) - A labor union representing nearly 20,000 border patrol agents and staff Friday disputed comments made by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer that most illegal immigrants coming across the southern border are smuggling drugs.
Brewer initially made the comments earlier this month during a debate of Republican gubernatorial candidates. She repeated them Friday when asked by a reporter for the basis of the claim.
"Well, we all know that the majority of the people that are coming to Arizona and trespassing are now becoming drug mules," Brewer said. "They're coming across our borders in huge numbers. The drug cartels have taken control of the immigration.
(CNN) - Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is fuming over a comment by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to an Ecuadorean television station that the government will file a lawsuit against Arizona's new immigration law.
In a statement Thursday, Brewer said she learned of plans for the lawsuit from the June 8 interview Clinton gave to NTN24.
According to a transcript of the interview, Clinton said that President Barack Obama had spoken out against the law because he believes the federal government should set immigration policy.
"And the Justice Department, under his direction, will be bringing a lawsuit against the act," Clinton said in the interview.
On Thursday, a Justice Department spokesperson said no final decision had been made on the matter.
"The department continues to review the law," said the spokesperson, Tracy Schmaler.
Brewer's statement said she was "stunned and angered" by Clinton's statement that a lawsuit would be filed.
Los Angeles (CNN) - The executive director of Arizona's Democratic Party says passage of the state's immigration law is energizing Latinos to become politically active and register to vote with his party.
"We are seeing voter registration increase with higher numbers and swinging our way," said Louis Heredia, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party. "The sense is that (Latinos) are now focused on the need to participate."
Heredia says the number of registered Democratic voters has jumped from about 100 a week to 500 a week during May, as party officials actively pursued residents at events protesting the immigration legislation that was signed into law by Republican Gov. Jan Brewer in April.
"I am not terribly concerned about a backlash," said state Republican Party Communications Director Matthew Roberts. "A lot of Hispanic and Latino groups are contacting our office telling us that they are hearing from people satisfied with the immigration reform."
Updated registration tallies will be released by Arizona's Secretary of State next month, however, registration forms do not ask for an individual's race or ethnicity.
The president and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, met Thursday at the White House. (Photo Credit: Pete Souza/Official White House Photo)
Washington (CNN) – Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer emerged from a meeting Thursday with President Barack Obama and said the two had "agreed to work together in order to find some solution" to the immigration issue.
Brewer, who signed the state's immigration law that Obama has called misguided, described the tone of the talks as "very cordial" but said disagreements remained. "We know we're not going to agree on some issues until other issues are worked out," she told reporters.
Brewer said Obama agreed to send staffers to Arizona "in a couple of weeks" to discuss using federal resources to tighten the border, including the allocation of 1,200 National Guard troops and $500 million.
"He assured us that the majority of those resources would be coming to Arizona," Brewer said.
She added, "I am encouraged there is going to be much better dialogue between the federal government and the state of Arizona. I hope that that's not wishful thinking; I hope that that's positive thinking."
The meeting came after the governor said this week she is not worried about a potential legal challenge from the Obama administration over the law.
"We'll meet you in court," Brewer told CNN's "John King, USA." "I have a pretty good record of winning in court."
Updated: 3:20 p.m.
Washington (CNN) - Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is rejecting a request from a top Senate Democrat to hold the state's controversial immigration bill for one year to give Congress time to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
In a letter dated Thursday and obtained by CNN, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, made the request to Brewer, a Republican.
Schumer, the Democrats' point man for immigration reform in the Senate, called Arizona's concerns about illegal immigration "legitimate security interests" and said he appreciates that Brewer "felt duty-bound to take action to address the security concerns in your state."
"But I simply do not believe the remedy Arizona has enacted will succeed in resolving the problem it is designed to address," Schumer wrote. He called the law, "wrong-hearted" and "likely unconstitutional." He also asked Brewer to call on Arizona's two GOP senators - John McCain and Jon Kyl - to "immediately begin discussions with me to enact" immigration reform.
On Friday, Brewer's office informed CNN of the governor's response.
Washington (CNN) - A majority of Arizonan voters support their state's tough new immigration law, according to a new survey.
A Rocky Mountain Poll conducted by Behavior Research Center and released Wednesday indicates that 52 percent of Arizonans back the measure, with 39 percent opposed and nine percent unsure.
The new measure, signed into law by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on April 23, requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there is reason to suspect they are in the United States illegally. The measure also makes it a state crime to live in or travel through Arizona illegally.
The law has ignited protests in the state and across the country and some are urging economic boycotts of Arizona. Supporters say the law is needed to confront rising problems involving illegal immigrants in Arizona, particularly those with criminal records.
Washington (CNN) - All four governors of U.S. states that border Mexico have now weighed in on the controversial Arizona immigration law. The only one defending it is the governor who signed it into law, Arizona's Jan Brewer.
The latest state chief executive to criticize the Arizona measure is Republican Rick Perry of Texas.
"I fully recognize and support a state's right and obligation to protect its citizens, but I have concerns with portions of the law passed in Arizona and believe it would not be the right direction for Texas," Perry said in a statement issued Thursday.
PHOENIX, Arizona (CNN) – Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a state bill Friday that requires police to determine whether a person is in the United States legally, which critics say will foster racial profiling and discrimination but supporters say will crack down on illegal immigration.
The Republican governor also issued an executive order that would require additional training for local officers on how to implement the law without engaging in racial profiling.
"This training will include what does and does not constitute reasonable suspicion that a person is not legally present in the United States," Brewer said after signing the bill.
Previously, officers could check someone's immigration status only if that person was suspected in another crime.
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