Illegal Immigration: Oklahoma AG Seeks to Mimic Texas

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Lawmakers in Oklahoma are scrambling to advance their bills as the legislation session nears the halfway mark. Efforts from Congress have reached a standstill on attempts to secure the US-Mexico border. Now, southern states are attempting to take the matter of illegal immigration into their own hands.

Last year Texas passed Senate Bill 4 allowing state agencies to enforce immigration law. Specifically, the law allows law enforcement agencies to arrest anyone they suspect might be in the country illegally. It also allows judges to send those individuals to ports of entry along the Mexico border regardless of where they originally traveled from. If charged, an individual faces up to six months in jail. 

There has been pushback from the federal government about the legality of the legislation. A back-and-forth battle between the Supreme Court and lower-level courts has added to the confusion. A lower-level court reversed the decision just hours after the Supreme Court had given the green light. 

On Sunday, hundreds gathered in Dallas to protest against the state’s discriminatory bill. Many fear that the law allows police and border patrol to racially profile individuals.

Copycat Bills

Despite issues and the unclear nature of the law, Oklahoma’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond has called on his state’s lawmakers to pass similar legislation. “The Biden Administration refuses to secure the border, so the states must act to protect our people,” said Drummond in a press release on Thursday. “Oklahoma suffers the consequences of our porous border every single day. A legal victory for Texas clears the way for local law enforcement in Oklahoma and throughout the country.”

Oklahoma House Bill 4090 had language comparable to Texas’ controversial illegal immigration law but it stalled in committee. If the bill had been successful, it would imprison those suspected to be in the state illegally for up to five years, then immediately face deportation upon release. Author Rep. David Hardin said he was disappointed that the bill’s progress was thwarted, “This legislation could have served as a significant move toward addressing the urgent problem of illegal immigration within our state,” Hardin said in a press statement. “Instead, we continue to ineffectively manage the influx of individuals entering Oklahoma illegally.” 

Continued Attacks on Immigration

Other anti-immigration bills are currently circulating in the Oklahoma House and Senate. House Bill 3071 aims to prohibit the use of state funds to provide benefits to illegal immigrants. The only exceptions are costs related to education, jailing, or transportation of migrants to out-of-state destinations. 

House Bill 3623 would prevent companies that hire workers who are in the country illegally from obtaining state contracts. It passed in a House vote with only four representatives voting against it. 

Speaker of the House Charles McCall announced on March 20 that he plans to file legislation to secure Oklahoma’s border. Like many of his Republican colleagues, McCall blames President Biden for the growing number of migrant crossings. “Oklahoma is a law and order state and should be the last place illegal immigrants want to settle when they cross over the border.” McCall’s statement continues, “Oklahoma will stand ready to defend its borders from all who would enter our country illegally.”

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During his State of the State address, Governor Kevin Stitt deemed Oklahoma a “law and order state.” He also vocalized his support for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plans to secure the Texas-Mexico border. Stitt offered the backing of Oklahoma’s National Guard until a border deal is reached at the federal level, saying, “When we don’t have a secure border, every state is a border state.” 

ACLU-Issued Travel Advisory

On March 19, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) of Oklahoma along with other states that neighbor Texas issued a travel advisory. 

The ACLU warns that the new Texas law may impede or violate citizens’ constitutional rights. If detained, recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) or those granted asylum may defend themselves against possible charges. 

Information on how to protect your rights if detained by law enforcement can be found at https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights