YEAH. IT’S BEEN A TOUGH TIME FOR MANY AN IMMIGRATION LAW WITH MANY QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THIS BILL. AND NOW SOME SAY THEY HOPE THIS LAW IS KILLED IN THE COURTS. IT’S CAUSED A LOT OF FEAR AND ANXIETY AMONG THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY OF OKLAHOMA. ON TUESDAY, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCED THEY’RE SUING THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA OVER HOUSE BILL 4156. THAT BILL ALLOWS LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO REMOVE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM OKLAHOMA, A TASK THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE HANDS OF FEDERAL OFFICIALS. AND YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE SCARED OF STATE POLICE WHO AREN’T TRAINED IN THOSE ISSUES. TARA JORDAN DALLARA AND MELISSA LUJAN WORK IN IMMIGRATION LAW. THEY SAY THIS STEP IN BY THE DOJ WAS NEEDED. I DO THINK THERE WILL BE SOME RELIEF AMONG THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION TO SEE THAT THAT IS BEING FOLLOWED UP ON, AND THAT HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL LITIGATION ATTEMPT AGAINST THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS SAID NO, THAT’S NOT YOUR PLACE. IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT. GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT SENT US THIS STATEMENT TODAY ABOUT THE LAWSUIT, SAYING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION REFUSED TO DO ITS JOB IN HOUSE BILL 4156 WOULDN’T HAVE EXISTED IF THEY HAD DONE THEIR JOBS, WHILE ADDING THAT THEY WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT OKLAHOMANS. LUJAN AND JORDAN DE LARA SAY THIS COULD BE BIGGER THAN OKLAHOMA. OTHER STATES HAVE SIMILAR LEGISLATION, CAUSING THEM TO BE SUED. LUJAN SAYS IF THE STATES ARE SUCCESSFUL, THIS COULD CHANGE IMMIGRATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. THAT WOULD ABSOLUTELY OPEN THE DOOR FOR OTHER STATES TO FOLLOW SUIT. AND THEN WHAT YOU END UP WITH IS SORT OF A PATCHWORK OF IMMIGRATION LAWS, STATE BY STATE. IT HAS AN INTERNATIONAL IMPACT. AND AS OF NOW, HOUSE BILL 4156 TAKES EFFE
Immigration law experts praise DOJ for filing lawsuit against Oklahoma
Those who work in immigration law said the legal action by the DOJ challenging Oklahoma's controversial immigration law was necessary
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Updated: 6:24 PM CDT May 22, 2024
Immigration law experts said a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice against the state of Oklahoma is a good thing, helping give a voice to the voiceless. | MORE | DOJ files lawsuit against Oklahoma, challenging immigration lawThe DOJ filed the lawsuit Tuesday over House Bill 4156, which was signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt. The controversial bill allows local and state law enforcement to remove undocumented people from Oklahoma, a job that has been reserved for federal officers. "It's caused a lot of fear and anxiety among the immigrant community of Oklahoma," Tara Jordan De Lara, the executive director of Latitude Legal Alliance. Those who work in immigration law said the legal action by the DOJ was necessary. "I do think there will be some relief among the immigrant population to see that is being followed up on. Hopefully, there will be a successful litigation attempt against the state," Jordan De Lara said. "The federal government has always said, 'No, this is not your place. It doesn't work like that.'"Stitt sent KOCO 5 a statement on Wednesday, saying the Biden administration failed to do its job enforcing immigration law. "The Biden administration refuses to do its job to secure our borders. Not only that, but they stand in the way of states trying to protect their citizens. Had the Biden administration set aside politics and done their job, HB4156 wouldn’t have been necessary. As governor, I will continue to do what is necessary to protect all four million Oklahomans," Stitt said in the statement. But advocates said the lawsuit could be bigger than Oklahoma. "You shouldn't have to be scared of state police who aren't trained in those issues," Melissa Lujan with the Latitude Legal Alliance said. "It has an international impact." Other states have similar legislation, causing them to be sued. If the states are successful, Lujan said, this could change immigration across the entire country. "That would absolutely open the door for other states to follow suit, and then what you end up with is a patchwork of immigration laws state-by-state," Jordan De Lara said. As of now, House Bill 4156 takes effect July 1. Top Headlines Severe storms with hail move out of OKC metro, head east WATCH: Sony microsurgery robot operates on a kernel of corn to preview the future of medicine Body recovered amid search for missing 20-year-old kayaker on Lake Carl Blackwell Tornado kills multiple people in Iowa as powerful storms again tear through Midwest
OKLAHOMA CITY — Immigration law experts said a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice against the state of Oklahoma is a good thing, helping give a voice to the voiceless.
| MORE | DOJ files lawsuit against Oklahoma, challenging immigration law
The DOJ filed the lawsuit Tuesday over House Bill 4156, which was signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt. The controversial bill allows local and state law enforcement to remove undocumented people from Oklahoma, a job that has been reserved for federal officers.
"It's caused a lot of fear and anxiety among the immigrant community of Oklahoma," Tara Jordan De Lara, the executive director of Latitude Legal Alliance.
Those who work in immigration law said the legal action by the DOJ was necessary.
"I do think there will be some relief among the immigrant population to see that is being followed up on. Hopefully, there will be a successful litigation attempt against the state," Jordan De Lara said. "The federal government has always said, 'No, this is not your place. It doesn't work like that.'"
Stitt sent KOCO 5 a statement on Wednesday, saying the Biden administration failed to do its job enforcing immigration law.
"The Biden administration refuses to do its job to secure our borders. Not only that, but they stand in the way of states trying to protect their citizens. Had the Biden administration set aside politics and done their job, HB4156 wouldn’t have been necessary. As governor, I will continue to do what is necessary to protect all four million Oklahomans," Stitt said in the statement.
But advocates said the lawsuit could be bigger than Oklahoma.
"You shouldn't have to be scared of state police who aren't trained in those issues," Melissa Lujan with the Latitude Legal Alliance said. "It has an international impact."
Other states have similar legislation, causing them to be sued. If the states are successful, Lujan said, this could change immigration across the entire country.
"That would absolutely open the door for other states to follow suit, and then what you end up with is a patchwork of immigration laws state-by-state," Jordan De Lara said.
As of now, House Bill 4156 takes effect July 1.
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