Justice Department Sues Oklahoma Over Law That Would Imprison Undocumented Immigrants
State law enforcement groups have warned that H.B. 4156 “conflicts with many existing directives” and could “destroy” their relationships with immigrant communities.
FIONA HARRIGAN | 5.22.2024 5:15 PM
In April, Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 4156, an immigration crackdown law that criminalizes "impermissible occupation" in the state. Any immigrant who "enters and remains" in Oklahoma "without having first obtained legal authorization to enter the United States" could face jail time and be forced to leave the state.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma yesterday, arguing that H.B. 4156 "is preempted by federal law" and "violates the U.S. Constitution." The lawsuit is the latest entry in the ongoing battle between the federal government and the growing list of states passing their own immigration laws.
Under H.B. 4156, a noncitizen convicted of being in Oklahoma without legal authorization to be in the U.S. will be guilty of a misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to a year in county jail. A subsequent offense is a felony and carries a punishment of up to two years in Department of Corrections custody. The unlawfully present person must also leave the state within 72 hours of conviction or release from custody, whichever comes later.
https://reason.com/2024/05/22/justice-department-sues-oklahoma-over-law-that-would-imprison-undocumented-immigrants/
