Paul Davenport

Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) - Facebook said Friday it mistakenly removed a post in which Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer criticized a controversial policy decision by President Barack Obama's administration to limit deportations of illegal immigrants.

The Republican governor had said in a post Friday that Facebook censored the item she posted Thursday because it apparently violated Facebook's community standards.

Brewer didn't elaborate in her post, but she said Friday in an interview that an email she received from Facebook said the post was removed because of an included illustration.

The email, which she read aloud, didn't specify how the illustration violated standards.

"I'd like to know why it happens,'' she said of the removal.

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes responded to a query by The Associated Press by saying in a brief email that Brewer's post was removed in error and that Facebook was sorry.

Noyes did not provide further details, including whether the removal of the post on Thursday resulted from complaints received from other Facebook users.

Brewer reposted the item Friday, saying the original post was ``censored'' by Facebook. Both versions included a statement in which she criticized the Obama policy decision and the illustration, a color drawing of Brewer in a Rosie the Riveter pose.

Brewer used the drawing in her 2010 election campaign. Its headline of ``doing the job the feds won't do'' refers to Brewer's clashes with Obama's administration on immigration and border issues.

"Something that's been posted on there a lot of times,'' Brewer said of the illustration during the interview.

Obama's administration said Thursday it would allow many illegal immigrants facing deportation the chance to stay in the United States and apply for a work permit. Deportations would focus on convicted criminals and those who might be threats to national security or public safety, the administration said.

"I think many of you will agree with me - Obama's backdoor amnesty plan violates American standards of following the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution,'' Brewer's latest post said.

 (Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)