YEAH, PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE THIS MORNING SEEM TO HAVE A UNIFIED MESSAGE. THEY’RE ANGRY WITH LAWMAKERS WHO SUPPORTED AND VOTED FOR HOUSE BILL 4156. AND THEY’RE SCARED OF WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD. I NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE’RE NOT CRIMINALS. WE’RE HERE TO WORK. WE’RE HERE TO STUDY. WE’RE HERE TO GO TO SCHOOL. WE’RE NOT CRIMINALS. VERONICA REGALADO, ONE OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE STATE CAPITOL WEDNESDAY MORNING RALLYING AGAINST HOUSE BILL 4156. THE LEGISLATION, SIGNED INTO LAW TWO WEEKS AGO, WOULD ALLOW LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO CHECK IMMIGRATION STATUS WHEN INVESTIGATING ANY CRIME, LEAVING PEOPLE LIKE VERONICA UNSURE ABOUT THE FUTURE. HERE. WE HAVE A MONTH AND A HALF TO GET IT TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT OUR NEXT STEP IS. IF WE’RE GOING TO LEAVE THE STATE, IF WE’RE GOING TO GO BACK TO OUR HOME. BUT WE DON’T WANT TO DO THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE’RE WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE’S A CRISIS AT THE BORDER, BUT PERHAPS WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY THAT’S ALREADY HERE. SENATOR MICHAEL BROOKS-JIMENEZ, WHO ORGANIZED TODAY’S RALLY, SAYS THE BILL WILL LEAD TO RACIAL PROFILING AND HARM PEOPLE WHO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE STATE’S ECONOMY. NOTHING INSIDE HOUSE BILL 4156 ALLOWS RACIAL PROFILING IN ANY POLICE OFFICER THAT DOES THAT SHOULD BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY. BUT MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER JOHN ECHOLS, WHO INTRODUCED THE BILL ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, ADAMANT THE LAW GOES AFTER CRIMINALS. WHAT IT WAS ABOUT IS MAKING SURE WE WE ENFORCE OUR OTHER LAWS, BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NOTHING IN THAT BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW RACIAL PROFILING THAT IS ALREADY AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION. SO UNLESS THIS LAW GETS TIED UP IN THE COURTS, IT’S SET TO GO INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1ST. A SIMILAR LAW THAT WAS PASSED IN TEXAS HAS YET TO BE ENFORCED BECAUSE OF AN ONGOING LEGAL CHALLENGE.
Thousands protest controversial immigration law at Oklahoma state Capitol
Unless the law gets tied up in the courts, it is set to go into effect on July 1
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Updated: 6:29 PM CDT May 15, 2024
Thousands of people filled the south plaza of the Oklahoma state Capitol on Wednesday, rallying against a controversial immigration law signed by the governor last month. | MORE | Oklahoma leaders rally against immigration bill at CapitolThose gathering at the Capitol seemed to have a unified message. The new law, House Bill 4156, has left them angry at state lawmakers and scared of what the future holds. "I need the government to understand that we’re not criminals. We’re here to work. We’re here to study. We’re here to go to school. We’re not criminals," Veronica Regalado, who was protesting House Bill 4156, said.The legislation, signed into law two weeks ago by Gov. Kevin Stitt, would allow local law enforcement to check immigration status when investigating any crime, leaving people like Regalado unsure about the future. "We have a month and a half to get it together to see what our next step is, if we’re going to leave the state, go back to our home, but we don’t want to do that," Regalado said. State Sen. Michael Brooks-Jimenez, who organized the rally, said the bill would lead to racial profiling and harm people who play a vital role in the state's economy. "Obviously, we’re willing to acknowledge there’s a crisis at the border. Perhaps we need to do something about it but not at the excuse of the Latino community here," Brooks-Jimenez said. But Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, who introduced the bill on the House floor, was adamant that the law goes after criminals. "Nothing inside HB 4156 allows racial profiling, and any police officer that does that should be fired immediately.," Echols said. "What it was about is making sure we enforce our other laws. There’s absolutely, positively nothing in that bill that would allow racial profiling. That is already against the constitution."So, unless the law gets tied up in the courts, it is set to go into effect on July 1. A similar law in Texas has yet to be enforced because of an ongoing legal challenge. Top Headlines TIMELINE: Storms bring a risk of hail, damaging winds and tornadoes to Oklahoma on Wednesday Law enforcement arrest Chickasha triple murder suspect in busy Bricktown area The latest list of top US baby names has a few surprises What we know: Law enforcement arrest 22-year-old suspect in connection with Chickasha triple homicide ABLE Commission denies petition for Total Wine & More in Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY — Thousands of people filled the south plaza of the Oklahoma state Capitol on Wednesday, rallying against a controversial immigration law signed by the governor last month.
| MORE | Oklahoma leaders rally against immigration bill at Capitol
Those gathering at the Capitol seemed to have a unified message. The new law, House Bill 4156, has left them angry at state lawmakers and scared of what the future holds.
"I need the government to understand that we’re not criminals. We’re here to work. We’re here to study. We’re here to go to school. We’re not criminals," Veronica Regalado, who was protesting House Bill 4156, said.
The legislation, signed into law two weeks ago by Gov. Kevin Stitt, would allow local law enforcement to check immigration status when investigating any crime, leaving people like Regalado unsure about the future.
"We have a month and a half to get it together to see what our next step is, if we’re going to leave the state, go back to our home, but we don’t want to do that," Regalado said.
State Sen. Michael Brooks-Jimenez, who organized the rally, said the bill would lead to racial profiling and harm people who play a vital role in the state's economy.
"Obviously, we’re willing to acknowledge there’s a crisis at the border. Perhaps we need to do something about it but not at the excuse of the Latino community here," Brooks-Jimenez said.
But Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, who introduced the bill on the House floor, was adamant that the law goes after criminals.
"Nothing inside HB 4156 allows racial profiling, and any police officer that does that should be fired immediately.," Echols said. "What it was about is making sure we enforce our other laws. There’s absolutely, positively nothing in that bill that would allow racial profiling. That is already against the constitution."
So, unless the law gets tied up in the courts, it is set to go into effect on July 1. A similar law in Texas has yet to be enforced because of an ongoing legal challenge.
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