A bill in Oklahoma that aims to use local and state public officials to remove undocumented immigrants from the state will go to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s (R-OK) desk for his expected signature.
Oklahoma HB 4156 passed both state legislative chambers and is similar to a Texas law enacted that enabled police officers to arrest people for illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
The bill passed despite an outcry over concerns the law will treat undocumented immigrants unfairly in the state. Activists against the bill organized more than 100 protesters outside the state Capitol building.
“Yes, you are going to have people that are stopped because of the way they look, and we’re going to try to put those folks in jail, and why? Because of the way they look,” Democratic state Sen. George Young said.
KOCO News 5 reported that “the expectation is someone will file a lawsuit to try to block the law from going into effect” if Stitt signs the bill, which will have an impact on 68,869 undocumented immigrants in the state.
Republican state Sen. Jessica Garvin, who noted her Hispanic heritage before addressing the bill, said she supported the legislation as an effort to improve public safety.
