Arizona's tough new immigration law has created a variety of headaches for the national Republican Party, which recognizes its precarious standing with the Hispanic community but has traditionally supported enhanced law enforcement intervention.

Perhaps no major Republican figure is more challenged by the law than Marco Rubio, the upstart Senatorial candidate in Florida who is a descendant of immigrants but also the belle of the ball in conservative circles. In a statement offered on Tuesday, the former Florida House Speaker, who has been pressed in recent days to make his position known, came down against the statute. While saying he understood why -- in the absence of national action on immigration -- Arizona went forward with its bill, Rubio said the bill caused "concerns" and suggested it could lead to racial profiling.

"From what I have read in news reports, I do have concerns about this legislation," Rubio said. "While I don't believe Arizona's policy was based on anything other than trying to get a handle on our broken borders, I think aspects of the law, especially that dealing with 'reasonable suspicion,' are going to put our law enforcement officers in an incredibly difficult position. It could also unreasonably single out people who are here legally, including many American citizens." Read entire statement . . .