'Should be the last place illegal immigrants want to settle': OK leaders plan to file bill similar to Texas keeping 'bad actors' out

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma Speaker of the House plans to file legislation soon that would keep illegal immigrants out of the state.

Texas Senate Bill 4 looks to prohibit "sanctuary city" policies, which prohibit local law enforcement from inquiring about a person's immigration status and complying with detainer requests. These policies often also prohibit the sharing of information regarding a person's immigration status with the federal government.

However, the bill - signed into law into law in December 2023 - has been stalled in federal court.

There's also a Florida law, Senate Bill 1718, that took effect in 2023 that takes aim at illegal immigrants.

This legislation makes using E-Verify mandatory for any employer with 25 or more employees, imposes enforceable penalties for those employing illegal immigrants, and enhances penalties for human smuggling.

Additionally, Florida's law prohibits local governments from issuing Identification Cards (ID) to illegal immigrants, invalidates ID cards issued to illegal immigrants in other states, and requires hospitals to collect and submit data on the costs of providing health care to illegal immigrants.

"The failed policies of the Biden Administration have turned every state into a border state," said Speaker of the House Charles McCall (R-Atoka). "Oklahoma is a law and order state, and should be the last place illegal immigrants want to settle when they cross over the border. For those reasons, and in light of recent court rulings regarding Senate Bill 4 out of Texas, I am immediately introducing legislation to secure the borders of Oklahoma in the same fashion as our neighbors to the south. Oklahoma will stand ready to defend its borders from all who would enter our country illegally."

While details of the proposal Speaker McCall plans to file this session haven't been publicly shared yet, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond told KFOR his vision for the bill.

"Here's the deal: We've been invaded," stated Drummond. "I'm ambivalent about the typical migrant, but I'm dead serious about protecting Oklahoma on these criminal elements that come in."

Representative Forrest Bennett (D-OKC) said he doesn't see an immigration crisis in Oklahoma and believes taxpayer dollars will be wasted on this legislation if signed into law.

I think our underfunding of education, for example, is a much bigger problem. When it comes to public safety, making sure that our criminal justice system is working for everyone equitably is much more important than burdening law enforcement with yet another task. The issue is complex. I've been here long enough to recognize when national politics is trickling down into state level discussions. My immediate thought is that they're seeing an opportunity to capitalize.

Representative Forrest Bennett (D-OKC)

On the other hand, Dummond said the current process of detaining someone illegal and somehow rearresting them two weeks later needs to be changed immediately.

"We need to be able to take these guys that are purposefully and intentionally working in illegal industries and put them in prison," said Drummond. "We have thousands of illegal actors. We have to get them out. I'm concentrating on those that are dealing in methamphetamine, fentanyl distribution, sex trafficking, human trafficking and illegal marijuana. I need those people arrested and deported."

He envisions arrested migrants will serve two to five years in an Oklahoma prison before being handed off to the federal government for further prosecution.

Drummond added there are enough resources and housing to go after "bad actors" who reside or do business in Oklahoma illegally.

Rep. Bennett diagrees.

"We do not have the resources to serve the people of our communities. I represent Southside Oklahoma City. If you look at the folks that are unhoused, it's not a monolith. They are black, white and everything in between. Housing solutions are not where we need them to be," said Rep. Bennett. "There's this myth that there are people in Oklahoma not receiving services because undocumented immigrants are getting them. The fact is they're not getting services because Oklahoma doesn't do a good job providing services. We have gutted our social safety net over the last couple of decades under the supervision of a super majority Republican legislature and Republicans in the governor's mansion."

Drummond clarified he doesn't want to go after those seeking a new life and going through the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, but only those who come or operate in Oklahoma with ill intent.

"I'm happy for them. I'm fine with that. We have a deficiency of willing and able workers in the state of Oklahoma. Many of those positions are being filled by first generation migrants. I'm happy to have them in the state of Oklahoma, and I'm happy for them to go through the process. Those are not the focus of my intent," he added.

I know that some of my colleagues intend to send that message that Oklahoma's not for everybody and that's a tragedy to me. I want Oklahoma to be a place where everyone feels welcome, even those who disagree with me on just about everything. I do think that it will have a workforce impact. I don't know that the people of Oklahoma are prepared for the consequences if that were to suddenly stop. I find it to be incredible of my colleagues' ability to ignore that. I won't say who, but I have heard colleagues who have voted for every anti-immigrant bill up here also ask my Hispanic colleagues where they can find good day workers. I know that people, even in this building who vote for anti-immigration policies, know the importance of that aspect.

Representative Forrest Bennett (D-OKC)

Drummond told KFOR while he's not in the policy making business, he has had a conversation with Speaker McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat (R-OKC) about collaborating on legislation that would tackle the "immigration crisis."

He doesn't want to simply duplicate the laws in Texas and Florida, but take pieces from those proposals and add it to an entirely new bill in Oklahoma.

"We will take those laws and pull from those sections that make sense. Oklahoma's unique and we have a unique need. Texas doesn't have a legal marijuana market, so there are not the same type of illegal actors in the state of Texas and Florida as there is in Oklahoma. We have a unique need and we need to be able to arrest, detain and imprison or deport those actors that are breaking our laws," said Drummond.

News 4 asked Drummond if he fears the same litigation Texas is currently experiencing if a similar bill is signed into law. He said he believes the Oklahoma legislature will tread lightly with the bill and continue watching the legal battle in Texas.

"If the Supreme Court says there's a path under the Tenth Amendment for states to defend themselves, then Oklahoma will have a law in place that will spring to life and equip my agency, [Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation], [Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics], and many other law enforcement agencies, county sheriffs and municipal leaders to start arresting bad actors," explained Drummond.

News 4 reached out to Speaker McCall's office for details of his upcoming legislation, but he wasn't available for an interview Thursday.

"When I ask questions about possible consequences of legislation, authors of the legislation will regularly say, 'Well, that's not my intent.' It doesn't really matter what your intent is once it's out of our hands. That's why it's so, so important that when we craft legislation, we do it with that in mind and make sure that every word and every letter is right to serve the intended purpose as opposed to unintended consequences," stated Rep. Bennett.

Oklahoma lawmakers are currently on "spring break," but will resume the legislative session on Monday.