illegal immigration
Oklahoma Just Became The Latest State To Take Immigration Enforcement Into Its Own Hands
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
Oklahoma’s Republican governor signed a sweeping immigration enforcement bill into law, making the Sooner State the latest to confront the border crisis through legislative action.
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 4156 into law on Tuesday, one week after the Republican-controlled legislature sent it to his desk. The law, which is set to take effect on July 1, makes it illegal to reside in Oklahoma without legal authorization to be in the U.S.
Those in violation of the law for the first time will be subject to a misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to a year in jail or a $500 fine, according to the text of the legislation. A second or subsequent offense would be a felony, punishable by as much as two years in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.
All violators would be mandated to leave Oklahoma within 72 hours of being released from custody.
Stitt made clear why he felt the law was necessary, putting the blame squarely on President Joe Biden.
“We cannot sit idle as threats to our safety are on the rise due to the Biden administration’s complete failure to offer even minimal protections. We have an obligation to keep our communities safe,” the governor said in a press release. “And this bill will decentivize thugs from choosing Oklahoma as a place to operate criminal enterprises after having illegally come to our country through the southern border.”
The governor’s public statement also pushed back against accusations that the law would unfairly target the state’s Hispanic community, saying that Oklahoma is not a “stop and identify” state.
Stitt’s signature marks the latest in a growing wave of Republican states that are taking on immigration enforcement, a responsibility typically exclusive to the federal government.
Oklahoma lawmakers largely followed legislation signed into law last year by Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, which would’ve allowed the state to arrest and deport those living in the country unlawfully. However, that Texas law is currently on hold after Biden’s Department of Justice filed a lawsuit, arguing such responsibility is reserved for federal immigration authorities only.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in March signed a bill that increases jail sentences for those living illegally in the U.S. and convicted of felonies or driving without a license. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill in April that largely reflects the Texas law.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in April signed a bill that mandates local law enforcement agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Beyond passing legislation, a slate of GOP-led states have deployed their national guard troops to the southern border in solidarity with Texas.
Since 2021, at least 14 states have deployed troops to the southern border: Florida, Arkansas, Iowa, Idaho, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Wyoming, and West Virginia. The deployment is largely assisting Texas’ Operation Lone Star, a campaign launched by Abbott to address the border crisis.
The wave of Republican-led immigration legislation follows an ongoing border crisis, with at least six million encounters taking place at the southern border since Biden took office.
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
The Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday designating the city as a “sanctuary city” following President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan.
This measure prevents the use of local resources for immigration enforcement and prohibits city agencies from sharing information about undocumented residents with federal immigration authorities, according to The Associated Press. The council voted unanimously, aligning Los Angeles with numerous cities across the U.S. that have adopted similar policies.
The ordinance will undergo a second council vote for procedural reasons as Mayor Karen Bass, who has expressed support for the initiative, holds veto power but is unlikely to use it, AP reported. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez pointed out the city’s firm stance against cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
🚨 President-Elect Trump has named Tom Homan as Border Czar. pic.twitter.com/XNfp4to0Ev
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 11, 2024
“We’re going to send a very clear message that the city of Los Angeles will not cooperate with ICE in any way,” Soto-Martinez said. “We want people to feel protected and be able to have faith in their government and that women can report domestic violence crimes.”
Soto-Martinez also noted that many immigrants without legal status are integral to the community, working in roles such as housekeepers, nannies, and cooks, AP reported. While the ordinance highlights the city’s values, critics argue that Los Angeles already refrains from cooperating with federal immigration agencies, suggesting the policy may not bring significant operational changes.
Trump announced that former acting ICE Director Tom Homan will take on the role of border czar in his upcoming administration. Homan will oversee border operations, including deportations, security at land and sea entry points, and aviation safety measures.
Trump revealed Monday that he plans to declare a national emergency and deploy military resources to execute his mass deportation agenda. He confirmed reports from Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, who claimed the administration is ready to use emergency powers to address what he called the “Biden invasion.”
Daily Caller
“I know three families that have gone to Canada.”: Locals Say Haitians Are Hoofing It Out Of Springfield After Trump Win
From the Daily Caller News Foundation
‘They Are Afraid’
Haitians living in Springfield, Ohio appear to be fleeing the city in droves after President-elect Donald Trump was declared the winner of the election, according to reports from locals.
The national spotlight shined on Springfield, a city of roughly 60,000 residents nestled in central Ohio, for weeks following unverified viral online claims that Haitians migrants had been spotted butchering a pet for consumption. The subsequent uproar about Springfield sparked further media debate about mass migration and its consequences, as Springfield has been dealing with an influx of Haitian migrants in a relatively short amount of time.
“The traffic situation seems to be better now,” longtime resident Barron Seelig said to the Daily Caller News Foundation, referring to widespread accounts from city residents in past months that Haitian drivers are causing mayhem on the roads.
While Seelig did speak about local rumors of impending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids possibly scaring Haitians away, he also mentioned recent crackdowns by highway patrol officers and added that some migrants are leaving because they don’t enjoy the Ohio winters. Another Springfield local told the DCNF that he heard it was virtually impossible to rent a U-Haul truck because so many Haitians are currently renting them — presumably to leave town.
Those who provide services to immigrant services in the city have also said that Trump’s election victory has prompted Haitians to flee en masse.
“Some folks don’t have credit cards or access to the internet, and they want to buy a bus ticket or a plane ticket, so we help them book a flight,” Margery Koveleski, who helps Haitian migrants manage government bureaucracy, told The Guardian. “People are leaving.”
“People are fully aware of the election result, and that is why they are leaving; they are afraid of a mass deportation” Jason Payen, a co-founder of the Haitian Community Alliance, said to the Guardian.
“Several of my customers have left. One guy with his family went to New Jersey; others have gone to Boston,” Payen continued. “I know three families that have gone to Canada.”
Trump, for his part, has vowed to embark on a border enforcement agenda that will apply to the entire country.
During the campaign, Trump pledged to continue building the U.S.-Mexico border wall, revive the Remain in Mexico program, hire more border patrol agents and conduct the “largest deportation program in American history,” and end birthright citizenship for those born on U.S. soil to illegal migrant parents.
Trump said in October that he would revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals and “bring them back” to the country. The Biden-Harris administration has provided TPS — which temporarily gives deportation protections to its designees — to hundreds of thousands of Haitian nationals currently living in the U.S.
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