GENERAL. YEAH. LAST MONTH, AG GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND ASKED FOR THIS BILL FROM CAPITOL LEADERSHIP TO ALLOW LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REMOVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT WERE TIED TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. HE USED THE EXAMPLE OF WORKERS AT ILLEGAL MARIJUANA GROWS THE AG CELEBRATING THE HOUSE’S PASSAGE OF HOUSE BILL 4156. THIS AFTERNOON. HE SAYS IT GIVES LAW ENFORCEMENT THE TOOLS THEY NEED THAT WERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FAILING OKLAHOMA LEADERS ARE STEPPING UP TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AN AUTHOR’S CLAIM POLICE ARE UNABLE TO RACIALLY PROFILE WITH THIS BILL BECAUSE IT ONLY ALLOWS IMMIGRATION STATUS TO BE CHECKED WHEN THEY ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING A CRIME AS POSSIBLY BEING COMMITTED. THIS BILL NOW MOVES TO THE SENATE. BACK TO YOU. WELL, ANDY, SOME HAVE SAID THAT THIS BILL MIRRORS ONE THAT WAS PASSED IN TEXAS, WHICH FACED LEGAL CHALLENGES. ARE THE SPONSORS OF THIS BILL WORRIED ABOUT POTENTIAL LAWSUITS? YEAH. ZACH, THAT BILL IN QUESTION IS SENATE BILL FOUR FROM TEXAS. IT IS CURRENTLY TIED UP IN THE COURTS, MOST RECENTLY AN APPELLATE COURT HAS BLOCKED IT. BUT WHEN ASKED ABOUT THAT POSSIBLE LEGAL CHALLENGE, THE BILL SPONSOR SAID HE’S NOT DISCOURAGED. ARE WE WILLING TO SPEND THAT TIME, THAT MONEY AND THOSE RESOURCES FOR THIS BILL THAT WILL GET CHALLENGED IN THE COURTS? REPRESENTATIVE, YOU’RE 100% CORRECT. THIS BILL WILL GET CHALLENGED AND WE WILL HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO DEFEND IT. AND COMING UP LIVE AT SIX, WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THE DEBATE THAT WAS HEARD ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. AND THE FINAL VO
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Oklahoma bill aiming to allow local law enforcement remove illegal immigrants passes House
The bill's authors claim law enforcement is not able to target people based off their ethnicity alone and that immigration status can only be checked during the investigation of another crime
A bill looking to allow local law enforcement to remove illegal immigrants from Oklahoma cleared its first hurdle Thursday morning at the state Capitol.Republicans call House Bill 4156 a border security bill, while Democrats argue it will cause profiling and family separation.| MORE | Oklahoma immigration bill faces backlash from Latino CaucusLast month, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond told leadership at the Capitol that law enforcement needed the ability to remove undocumented workers that were engaged in criminal activity. he pointed to the high amount of illegal immigrants staffing illegal marijuana grows.Drummond celebrated the House's passes of the bill, saying it gives law enforcement the tools they need. He added that Oklahoma leadership is stepping up to solve the problem where the federal government is failing. "House Bill 4156 is about promoting public safety and giving law enforcement the tools needed to protect Oklahomans," Drummond said in a statement. "Where the federal government is failing, our state leaders are stepping up to solve the problem and protect Oklahomans."The bill's authors claim law enforcement is not able to target people based off their ethnicity alone and that immigration status can only be checked during the investigation of another crime. House Bill 4156 now heads to the Senate.Some have said the bill mirrors one passed in Texas that faced legal challenges and has been tied up in courts for some time. Senate Bill 4 has been blocked by a federal appeals court.| MORE | Oklahoma lawmakers announce proposed bill to increase punishment for undocumented immigrantsThe Oklahoma bill's sponsors don't appear to be discouraged by the legal challenges."Are we willing to send that time, that money and those resources for this bill that will get challenged in court?" state Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, asked on the House floor."Representative, you're 100% correct this bill will get challenged. And we will have to spend money to defend it," state Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, responded.Top Headlines Could you hear loud booms in the OKC metro Wednesday night? Police: Woman taken to hospital in critical condition after crash involving semi in northwest OKC Man beaten unconscious in gas station, police search for suspect Astronomers spot a massive ‘sleeping giant’ black hole less than 2,000 light-years from Earth New York state troopers helped deliver a baby in a Lowe's parking lot
OKLAHOMA CITY —
A bill looking to allow local law enforcement to remove illegal immigrants from Oklahoma cleared its first hurdle Thursday morning at the state Capitol.
Republicans call House Bill 4156 a border security bill, while Democrats argue it will cause profiling and family separation.
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| MORE | Oklahoma immigration bill faces backlash from Latino Caucus
Last month, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond told leadership at the Capitol that law enforcement needed the ability to remove undocumented workers that were engaged in criminal activity. he pointed to the high amount of illegal immigrants staffing illegal marijuana grows.
Drummond celebrated the House's passes of the bill, saying it gives law enforcement the tools they need. He added that Oklahoma leadership is stepping up to solve the problem where the federal government is failing.
"House Bill 4156 is about promoting public safety and giving law enforcement the tools needed to protect Oklahomans," Drummond said in a statement. "Where the federal government is failing, our state leaders are stepping up to solve the problem and protect Oklahomans."
The bill's authors claim law enforcement is not able to target people based off their ethnicity alone and that immigration status can only be checked during the investigation of another crime. House Bill 4156 now heads to the Senate.
Some have said the bill mirrors one passed in Texas that faced legal challenges and has been tied up in courts for some time. Senate Bill 4 has been blocked by a federal appeals court.
| MORE | Oklahoma lawmakers announce proposed bill to increase punishment for undocumented immigrants
The Oklahoma bill's sponsors don't appear to be discouraged by the legal challenges.
"Are we willing to send that time, that money and those resources for this bill that will get challenged in court?" state Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, asked on the House floor.
"Representative, you're 100% correct this bill will get challenged. And we will have to spend money to defend it," state Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, responded.
Top Headlines
- Could you hear loud booms in the OKC metro Wednesday night?
- Police: Woman taken to hospital in critical condition after crash involving semi in northwest OKC
- Man beaten unconscious in gas station, police search for suspect
- Astronomers spot a massive ‘sleeping giant’ black hole less than 2,000 light-years from Earth
- New York state troopers helped deliver a baby in a Lowe's parking lot
