OK: Governor signs immigration bill
May 08, 2007 07:39 pm
Governor signs immigration bill
By Jaclyn Houghton
CNHI News Service
OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Brad Henry signed an immigration bill Tuesday, but said the federal government still needs to take action.
“Illegal immigration is a very serious national security issue that must be addressed at the federal level,” he said in a statement. “States can take some actions on their own, but until the U.S. Congress enacts a comprehensive, national immigration policy, citizens will see little progress on this issue.”
The bill, House Bill 1804, authored by Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, and Sen. James Williamson, R-Tulsa, passed the House in its current form with an 84-14 vote. It had passed the Senate with a 41-6 vote.
The immigration measure will, among other things, require public employers to verify the residency status of new employees; require local and state law enforcement agencies to detain illegal immigrants; require anyone seeking state identification to prove residency or citizenship; and terminate government subsidies like health care and welfare for illegal immigrants except in certain emergency and humanitarian public services.
Mauro Yanez, a permanent U.S. resident originally from Venezuela, said the bill is “evil and immoral.”
“It’s very sad for the Hispanic community in Oklahoma,” especially during the state’s centennial year, said Yanez, of Norman.
Although he is in the country legally, he said he is still fearful that he and all other dark-skinned people in Oklahoma will be racially profiled by law enforcement.
“This gives the message to the United States that the Hispanics are not welcome, whether residents or non-residents,” Yanez said.
Terrill said the bill puts Oklahoma at the “forefront of immigration reform” in the country. He said dealing with illegal immigration is not a partisan issue, but rather an issue about what is right and wrong, and respect for the rule of law.
Yanez said he will be working with several others to try to get the courts involved on the constitutionality of the bill.
“This is just a case of politics right now,” he said.
The original bill included a provision that would have repealed a statute that allows in-state tuition to some illegal immigrants. The Senate changed that portion of the bill by allowing children of illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than two years and graduated from a high school in Oklahoma to be eligible for in-state tuition as long as they are pursuing citizenship within a year. This provision would not affect current college students.
Yanez said it usually takes about five years to become a citizen once you are a legal resident.
It will be a felony to knowingly conceal, harbor, shelter, transport or attempt to transport an illegal immigrant under the bill. An exception will allow the transportation or harboring of illegal immigrants if associated with public benefits allowed by federal law or public health services provided by private funds through a private charity.
Some legislators called Senate amendments that were passed on the original House bill not tough enough on business and lukewarm at best. Others felt the overall bill was mean-spirited and may cause racial profiling by law enforcement agents in the state, one of Yanez’s concerns.
Henry urged legislators to keep watch of the effects of the legislation.
“State leaders should closely monitor the impact of HB 1804 in the months and years to come to ensure that it doesn’t have any unintended consequences,” he said.
The majority of the bill goes into law Nov. 1, 2007, with some portions dealing with private employers phasing in July 1, 2008.
Jaclyn Houghton is CNHI News Service Oklahoma reporter.
http://www.mwcsun.com/statenews/cnhinsa ... 93952.html