In 2007, Oklahoma passed HB 1804, one of the nation’s most punitive immigration laws, which enacted a series of restrictions, including measures to limit access to jobs and public services for undocumented immigrants and expand the powers of state and local law enforcement to verify the legal status of those they encounter. However, a report by the Urban Institute and commissioned by NCLR found that that passage and implementation of HB 1804 has not had a dramatic impact on immigrants’ use of public services, although it has caused substantial fear in the Latino community.
Political Landscape
2011 Session: February 7–May 27, 2011
Senate: With a slight increase, Republicans retain the majority (D – 16; R – 32).
House of Representatives: Republicans retain the majority (D – 31; R – 70).
State Representative Randy Terrill (R), who passed Oklahoma HB 1804, has made statements that he’d like to pass legislation that goes further than Arizona’s.
NCLR’s Oklahoma State Assessment: Likely to be debated
If this bill is brought up in the next legislative session, it seems likely to have support in the Republican-dominated legislature. However, the fact that Oklahoma has already passed HB 1804 may relieve the political pressure to pass such a law.
