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My name is Tasneem Al-Michael. I am the son of Bangladeshi immigrants, and up until 2020, I was an undocumented person and beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. I came to the United States in 2000 at the age of 10 months old and lived my entire life in the state of Oklahoma. I am fortunate enough to say that I have found stability as a permanent resident (green card holder), and I look forward to applying for my US citizenship in 2025. To be clear, I’m not leaving anytime soon. And I think Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt should Veto HB 4156. Here’s why:
As an undocumented DACA recipient with work authorization, I contributed my talents as a public servant in our state government as a Senate Messenger and Legislative Assistant in the House of Representatives for the 2019 session. I am very familiar with how our legislature works, likely more so than the average Oklahoman.
Here’s the truth: Every election year, there is a motivation by right-wing dominant legislatures to double down on xenophobia and pass legislation targeting the most vulnerable populations in our communities.
From the politicization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the criminalization of the poor and the homeless, to the attacks on the LGBTQ+ Community, Oklahoma is not unique in following Texas, Florida, Missouri, and Iowa in anti-immigrant legislation. The fact of the matter is that House Bill 4156 makes it illegal to exist as an undocumented person in the state of Oklahoma. Hence, HB 4156 is bad for businesses, bad for immigrants, and bad for Oklahoma. Again, this is why the governor should veto HB 4156.
Immigrants have never been an enemy to the state of Oklahoma. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. According to a 2021 study from the American Immigration Council, nearly 70,000 immigrants in the state of Oklahoma are undocumented. Yet, they contribute over $5.5 billion in spending and over $1.7 billion in tax revenue alongside the growing 200,000+ immigrants residing in Oklahoma. Many of the folks are business owners, community builders, and entrepreneurs. Moreover, over 40% of Oklahoma City residents are non-white.
We at the OKC Asian Chamber of Commerce tout that nearly 55% of Asian Oklahomans live in the OKC Area, and over 50,000 families and individuals live in the Greater OKC metro. There are over 5,300 Asian-owned businesses in our state, producing over $203 million in payroll and over $1.25 billion in spending.
As a matter of fact, immigrants are some of the hardest-working people in the state of Oklahoma and are the fastest-growing population in the United States. It’s no secret that Oklahoma City Public Schools are becoming a majority immigrant population. Asian-Americans compose the fastest-growing electorate in the United States, and it’s the fear that minorities will overtake the majority that drives this anti-immigrant narrative. It’s time to dispel some myths; this legislation impacts more than just our Latino population; it affects Asians, Africans, Arabs, and European immigrants as well.
Instead, we should be incentivizing immigrants to come to the state and establish families and businesses. Our Federal government must create pathways for citizenship for the members of our community. Our state should be investing in our immigrant businesses and startups by allocating dollars to funding education and healthcare for our immigrant populations, and our municipalities should be working to expand sister city programs and work with law enforcement to protect our immigrant communities instead of deporting them. In the words of our very own Governor Kevin Stitt, “Oklahoma needs more taxpayers, not more taxes”; hence, why he should veto HB 4156
Please call the Governor’s Office at 405-521-2342 and ask him to veto HB 4156, which criminalizes our families, friends, and neighbors.