Illegal Immigrants Leaving Area Before New Law Takes Effect
POSTED: 5:27 pm CDT October 26, 2007

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A state law that cracks down on illegal immigration does not go into effect until Thursday, but Hispanic advocates said it has already led to fears that have driven thousands of people from Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is poised to join states like Arizona, Colorado and Georgia that have passed similar measures out of frustration with Congress' failure to act on comprehensive immigration reform.

Public benefits for illegal immigrants will be reduced and prospective employees will have to verify their legal status through a federal online program. The law promotes stronger efforts by police to identify, detain and turn over illegal immigrants to federal authorities and makes it a felony to transport or harbor people without legal immigration status.

Latino groups said upward of 20,000 illegal immigrants have fled Tulsa alone in recent weeks. The fear may be greatest there because sheriff's deputies have been trained to assist federal immigration officers.

Police leaders in Oklahoma City are not following Tulsa's example, saying they have their hands full fighting crime and don't want to be immigration officers.

Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty, for instance, has said his officers will follow the law, but will not check Hispanics' legal status unless they commit a crime.

He is concerned that burglaries and other crimes in the Hispanic community are going unreported because illegal immigrants are afraid to contact police.

In Oklahoma City, Hispanics have mostly settled in the southwest part of town, building businesses and going to formerly all-white churches in an area known as Capitol Hill. In Tulsa, the Hispanic population is more scattered.

An example of the Hispanic growth in Oklahoma City is Columbus Elementary School. The school is at least 85 percent Hispanic, up from 4.5 percent 17 years ago.

Principal Phil Cunningham said some families are alarmed.

"The families I know that are outside the documentation status are law abiding and hard working and should be treated with compassion, dignity and justice," Cunningham said.

Pat Fennel, director of the Latino Community Development Agency in Oklahoma City, said the law could be devastating to young Hispanics born in Oklahoma of illegal immigrants.

"These children are U.S. citizens, but they are in no man's land. Their country where they were born doesn't want them, but the country where their parents were born doesn't want them either."

The measure was opposed by some farmers and business groups, who say the state needs immigrant workers. Those objections led to a delay until July 1, 2008, of a section requiring online documentation of immigrant workers before they can be hired.

The drive for passage of the immigration bill was pushed by Republican lawmakers after polls showed illegal immigration to be a leading concern of Oklahomans.

In signing the measure into law, Democratic Gov. Brad Henry urged lawmakers to monitor its impact to make sure it does not have unintended consequences.

"While some will undoubtedly claim this state legislation is a landmark step forward, the truth of the matter is we will not effectively address immigration reform until the federal government acts," Henry said.

Manuel, 23, one of several illegal immigrants who spoke to The Associated Press on condition last names not be used, has three children and a wife who were born in this country and are legal residents.

"It's a killer, man. I don't want to go to Mexico. I don't know nobody there. I was only three when my parents brought me across the border. Now I've got kids of my own," Manuel said.

"I don't want to leave them. I don't know if I could ever get back.

"I work hard. I pay taxes. I feel like I'm an American and an Oklahoman, but I'm always looking over my shoulder."

Jose and Luz, both in their early 40s, have a successful cleaning business in Oklahoma City. It's a step down from their careers in Columbia, where Jose was an engineer and Luz was a dentist.

After eight years, they have three children, a home with a mortgage and all the appearances of a good life, except for the threat of being discovered, heightened by the new immigration law.

"Luz has trouble sleeping at night. She has depression and has to take medicine," said Maria, Jose's brother. "They are good people. They have a lot of values. They've thought about going back, but it would be too hard on the kids."

"It's almost impossible to become legal once you are in illegal status, unless you marry a U.S. citizen," Maria said.

Alejandra, 21, goes to college and works as a part-time telemarketer in Tulsa, where she came on a six-month visa from Peru in 2003. She said many of her friends, some brought to the United States from Mexico as infants, are fearful about the law and are leaving Oklahoma.

"It's like they are being deported from their own country," she said. "One of my best friends just left for Oregon with her two babies."
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