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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Hundreds of Oklahomans rallied at the state capitol on Tuesday morning to protest the passage of an anti-immigration bill. Controversial House Bill 4156 has passed both the House and Senate as of Tuesday afternoon. If signed into law, the bill would criminalize non-citizens found to be in Oklahoma without legal documentation.
HB 4156 is Oklahoma’s version of Texas Senate Bill 4. If codified, those found in defiance face jail time and deportation. Federal courts are still actively debating the legality of Texas’ new law. Currently, enforcement is on hold while the appellate courts decide its constitutionality.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond recently prodded Oklahoma lawmakers to pass its own version of Texas SB 4. Last Monday, Speaker Charles McCall introduced HB 4156 to answer Drummond’s request. The House passed it last Thursday, and then the Senate on Tuesday afternoon.
In a press conference on Friday, Governor Kevin Stitt acknowledged the heavily debated bill. “[We] have to stop the flow of mass migration into the US,” Stitt stated. “I’m not going to make a decision right now whether I’ll sign it or not,” he continued. “There’s too many variables on what’s in the bill.”
Data from the American Immigration Council shows that nearly 218,000 Oklahoma residents are immigrants. Of that population, 68,869 are undocumented.
The top countries of origin for immigrants in Oklahoma are Mexico, India, Guatemala, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
El Pueblo Unido
“El pueblo unido jamás será vencido,” organinzers and the crowd shouted together. The English translation, “The people united will never be defeated,” is often chanted by protestors of social injustice.
Current legislators and hopeful Oklahoman candidates spoke at Tuesday’s rally.
Latina representative Annie Menz, who has advocated for Oklahoma’s undocumented community on the House Floor spoke to onlookers. “The fight over this bill is not over,” Menz stated. “Contact the Governor and ask him to veto it.”
Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval addressed the audience in Spanish — urging those who are eligible to vote. “In the end, we have to elevate our stories because we know who we are, and we are not illegal.”
Running for House District 88 in the stead of Rep. Mauree Turner is Nicole Maldonado. Born in Colombia, Maldonado has worked at the Oklahoma state capitol as a legislative assistant under Turner. “Last week, when I was here listening to this law being proposed, I felt a fire inside me of anger, sadness and deception.” She continues, “This is not about politics, this is about human beings.”
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Another candidate to appear on June’s primary ballot is Sam Wargin Grimaldo. “We are angry because this law should not even be proposed here in Oklahoma,” said Grimaldo. Like many in attendance, he was born and raised in Oklahoma by immigrant parents. “The people in [the capitol] touch immigrant labor every day,” Grimaldo continued. “And we’re going to remind them of that until we beat this bill and we beat this sentiment.”
Immigrant Solidarity
While the majority of voices heard at Tuesday’s rally are from Latinx Oklahomans, local organizer Tasneem Al-Michael represents a different category of immigrants.
A child of Bangladeshi immigrants, Al-Michael grew up undocumented. “The fact is this: when one of our immigrant communities is under attack, all of us are under attack.” He continues, “I stand here with you today to let you know that the Asian, Arab, and Muslim communities are with you.”
“Our liberation as a people is tied together. Your freedom, my freedom, our freedom is on the line.”
Senate Debate
After Oklahomans attending Tuesday’s rally dispersed, the bill was heard on the Senate floor. Sen. Michael Brooks (D-OKC) proposed amendments to the bill, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Senate author Pro Tempore Greg Treat answered several questions about the enforcement of the proposed law. Asylum seekers and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients would be exempt from prosecution.
Some questions echoed the concerns of House members regarding potential racial profiling by law enforcement. Treat reiterates Rep. Charles McCall’s statement that racial profiling would not be a concern if the bill were to become law.
Sen. Carrie Hicks brought up the economic impact that immigrant workers bring to the state of Oklahoma. Treat said he believes those numbers are inaccurate and blown out of proportion. According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants account for 7.9% of the state’s labor force. Additionally, undocumented households in Oklahoma have paid $1.9 billion in income tax.
Boren asserts that it would be counterproductive to Oklahoma’s economy to place immigrants in jail as opposed to letting them continue working.
“What are we solving, specifically,” Sen. Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa) asked. “There’s a myriad of issues that arise when laws are not enforced,” responded Treat. He says the fact that the federal government has declared the border situation a crisis but has yet to produce a plan of action is why Oklahoma needs this legislation.
Ultimately, the bill passed 39 to 8. It will now move to the governor’s desk.
Following the vote, Treat released the following statement.
“The southern border crisis has created a scourge of illegal activities, including an increase in fentanyl, human trafficking and crime in our communities because of the inaction and abject failure at the federal level to secure our borders. The Oklahoma Legislature is taking the necessary action to protect our citizens. Doing nothing is unconscionable and this legislation is the appropriate measure to keep Oklahomans safe and uphold the rule of law.”
Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat