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PHOENIX - Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer says President Barack Obama represents a "pre-emptive strike" aimed at an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could uphold parts of the state's immigration enforcement law.

"The president's outrageous announcement is backdoor amnesty to nearly one million people," Gov. Brewer said. "He says it's temporary but we all know better."

Governor Brewer called the change "blatant political pandering by a president trying to shore up his political base."

"As I have said many times our nation's immigration system is as broken as our border, but now is not the time to grant broad amnesty to nearly one million people," Gov. Brewer said. "Now is not the time to approve something via presidential fiat that he knows he could never get through Congress."

Brewer says the change muddies the waters for implementing the Arizona immigration enforcement law because people covered by the new federal policy can get new documentation.
Brewer also called the policy change a "pre-emptive strike" against SB-1070, Arizona's controversial illegal immigration law. The Supreme Court is expected to render a decision on the constitutionality of the law soon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.