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COMING UP. JESS. ALL RIGHT, DAMON, THANK YOU. WELL, FIGHT OVER IMMIGRATION AT THE STATE CAPITOL. A NEW BILL MOVED FORWARD TODAY TO ALLOW LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REMOVE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS. OF COURSE, IMMIGRATION IS USUALLY HANDLED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. COCO ANDY WEBER JOINING US LIVE ON THIS, ANDY, LAWMAKERS DIVIDED ALONG PARTY LINES. YEAH, AND ITS A BITTER DIVIDE. REPUBLICANS SAY THEYRE TRYING TO PROTECT OKLAHOMANS. MEANWHILE, DEMOCRATS CONTEND THIS BILL WILL ATTACK AND HARM A VITAL AND VULNERABLE POPULATION. WERE CHOOSING POWER OVER PEOPLE AND ON THE PATH TO POWER. YOURE CREATING A PATH OF DESTRUCTION. ITS BEEN ELEVATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HUMAN BEINGS? IM PROUD TO DO SOMETHING. I AM PROUD TO STAND ONCE AGAIN, TO STAND UP IN THE GAP FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TOTALLY DIVIDED OVER AN IMMIGRATION BILL HEARD THURSDAY ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. HOUSE BILL 4156 CREATES THE CRIME OF IMPERMISSIBLE OCCUPATION AND ALLOWS LAW ENFORCEMENT TO REMOVE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM THE STATE HOUSE. REPUBLICANS CLAIM RACIAL PROFILING IS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE POLICE OFFICERS CAN ONLY CHECK IMMIGRATION STATUS WHEN INVESTIGATING A CRIME. THE STANDARD TO STOP SOMEONE AND ASK FOR IDENTIFICATION IS REASONABLE, ARTICULABLE SUSPICION OF THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME. DEMOCRATS NOT CONVINCED, ACCUSING THE MAJORITY OF PUSHING THIS BILL BECAUSE IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR AND ARGUE IT WONT SOLVE WHATS CAUSING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS BILL IS STRICTLY POLITICAL. THIS IS NOT A SUBSTANTIVE SOLUTION TO THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS. THIS IS NOT POLICY FOCUSED. ITS NOT SOLUTION FOCUSED. ITS STRICTLY FOCUSED ON POLITICS, CAMPAIGN MESSAGING. MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER JOHN ECCLES SAYS HIS PRIORITY IS PROTECTING OKLAHOMANS AND ARGUES THIS BILL WILL DO EXACTLY THAT. YES, I AGREE, CLOSING THE SOUTHERN BORDER IS IN A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP TOGETHER IS WHATS BEST FOR THE FUTURE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. BUT I DONT HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE A PATH FOR CITIZENSHIP. NOT IN THIS BODY. AND HAVING PASSED ALONG PARTY LINES WITH A VOTE OF 77 TO 20, IT NOW MOVES ACROSS THE CAPITOL TO T

Oklahoma Republicans, Democrats divided over immigration bill

Republicans say they're trying to protect Oklahomans. Democrats call it an attack on a vulnerable and important population

Updated: 6:51 PM CDT Apr 18, 2024

Oklahoma lawmakers are divided over a new immigration bill that would allow local law enforcement to remove undocumented immigrants from the state.Republicans say they're trying to protect Oklahomans. Democrats call it an attack on a vulnerable and important population. | MORE | Oklahoma bill aiming to allow local law enforcement remove illegal immigrants passes House"We're choosing power over people. And on the path to power, you're creating a path of destruction. It's been elevated over and over again what's going to happen to human beings," said state Rep. Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. Democrats and Republicans are totally divided over House Bill 4156, which was passed off the House floor on Thursday. The measure creates the crime of impermissible occupation and allows law enforcement to remove undocumented immigrants from the state. | MORE | Oklahoma lawmakers announce proposed bill to increase punishment for undocumented immigrantsHouse Republicans argue that the bill does not enable racial profiling. They maintain that police can only check immigration status when investigating a crime. "The standard to stop someone and ask for identification is reasonable, articulable suspicion of the commission of a crime," said state Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City.Democrats, however, remain unconvinced. They accuse the majority of pushing this bill because it is an election year and argue that it won't address the root causes of illegal immigration. "This bill is strictly political. This is not a substantive solution to the immigration crisis. This is not policy focused. This is not solution focused. It's strictly focused on politics, campaign messaging," said State Rep. Arturo Alonso Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City.| MORE | Oklahoma immigration bill faces backlash from Latino CaucusEchols, the majority floor leader, maintains that his priority is protecting Oklahomans. He argues that this bill will do exactly that. "Yes, I agree closing the southern border and a path to citizenship together is what's best for the future of the state of Oklahoma, but I don't have the power to create a path to citizenship, not in this body," Echols said.The bill has now passed along party lines with a vote of 77-20 and moves to the Senate.Top Headlines Could you hear loud booms in the OKC metro Wednesday night? Police: Woman taken to hospital in critical condition after crash involving semi in northwest OKC Man beaten unconscious in gas station, police search for suspect Astronomers spot a massive sleeping giant black hole less than 2,000 light-years from Earth New York state troopers helped deliver a baby in a Lowe's parking lot

Oklahoma lawmakers are divided over a new immigration bill that would allow local law enforcement to remove undocumented immigrants from the state.

Republicans say they're trying to protect Oklahomans. Democrats call it an attack on a vulnerable and important population.

| MORE | Oklahoma bill aiming to allow local law enforcement remove illegal immigrants passes House

"We're choosing power over people. And on the path to power, you're creating a path of destruction. It's been elevated over and over again what's going to happen to human beings," said state Rep. Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City.

Democrats and Republicans are totally divided over House Bill 4156, which was passed off the House floor on Thursday. The measure creates the crime of impermissible occupation and allows law enforcement to remove undocumented immigrants from the state.

| MORE | Oklahoma lawmakers announce proposed bill to increase punishment for undocumented immigrants

House Republicans argue that the bill does not enable racial profiling. They maintain that police can only check immigration status when investigating a crime.

"The standard to stop someone and ask for identification is reasonable, articulable suspicion of the commission of a crime," said state Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City.

Democrats, however, remain unconvinced. They accuse the majority of pushing this bill because it is an election year and argue that it won't address the root causes of illegal immigration.

"This bill is strictly political. This is not a substantive solution to the immigration crisis. This is not policy focused. This is not solution focused. It's strictly focused on politics, campaign messaging," said State Rep. Arturo Alonso Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City.

| MORE | Oklahoma immigration bill faces backlash from Latino Caucus

Echols, the majority floor leader, maintains that his priority is protecting Oklahomans. He argues that this bill will do exactly that.

"Yes, I agree closing the southern border and a path to citizenship together is what's best for the future of the state of Oklahoma, but I don't have the power to create a path to citizenship, not in this body," Echols said.

The bill has now passed along party lines with a vote of 77-20 and moves to the Senate.

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Oklahoma House passes immigration bill amid bitter divide - KOCO Oklahoma City