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Hispanic leaders to sue over Oklahoma illegal-immigrant law

Measure makes getting jobs, benefits difficult for those here illegally


12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, September 29, 2007
From Wire Reports The Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. – An Oklahoma law designed to crack down on illegal immigration will be challenged in a federal lawsuit, Hispanic leaders announced Friday.

The Rev. Miguel Rivera, president of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, said a suit could come within days and would address the constitutionality of the law, which goes into effect Nov. 1.

Mr. Rivera also said coalition leaders will consider asking a federal judge for an injunction to stop implementation of the law, and called on the author of the legislation that created it, Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, to resign.

"Tropical fish in the state of Oklahoma have more rights" than Hispanics, said Mr. Rivera, referring to an incident this week in Oklahoma City where fish were seized from a pet wholesaler because they had been tattooed in violation of a city law.

Considered one of the toughest in the nation, the Oklahoma law creates barriers for illegal immigrants to receive public benefits and jobs. It also makes it illegal to transport or harbor illegal immigrants, making violations a felony punishable by a minimum of one year in prison or a $1,000 fine.

Mr. Rivera called the new law "frivolous" and said it is already scaring thousands of Hispanics out of the state.

"There is no will to deport 12 million people from this country," said Mr. Rivera, referring to the estimated number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

Mr. Terrill said that the people of Oklahoma support meaningful immigration reform and that the coalition is "trying to accomplish through the judicial process what they've been unable to do through the political process."

This month, five Democratic state lawmakers asked Attorney General Drew Edmondson to clarify several provisions of the measure.

Because there are about two dozen questions, a ruling from the office appears unlikely before Nov. 1, officials said.