Thread: OK: New challenge filed to immigration law

Guess they just won't give up...


TULSA (AP) - A new legal challenge has been filed to a law that would crack down on illegal immigration in Oklahoma.

A federal lawsuit challenging the law — which is set to go into effect Nov. 1 — was refiled Thursday in federal court with additional plaintiffs who say they are facing eviction because of the measure. The plaintiffs are the National Coalition of Latino Clergy, two churches, a restaurant group and several anonymous individuals.


Considered one of the toughest in the nation, House Bill 1804 creates barriers for undocumented 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.

Monday, U.S. District Judge James H. Payne dismissed the plaintiff's first lawsuit, saying the law could not be challenged because they could not show that it had damaged them.

The author of the legislation, Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, said Thursday he was not surprised by the refiling, and added he was "99.9 percent certain" the bill would withstand any legal challenge.

"We're talking about a group of people who have been judge shopping for the last five months in order to find someone sympathetic to their cause," Terrill said.

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

Because there were about two-dozen questions, an opinion from the office appears unlikely before Nov. 1.

http://newsok.com/article/3156704/1193342787

Is it me or does anyone wonder where the money comes from for all these lawsuits? Are their pockets deep enough to sue every city in every state in the country?

Federal grants!! your money and my money!! sickening isn't it!!

Then we have this crap.........

By Carla Hinton
The Oklahoman
A "Pledge of Resistance" opposing the immigration reform law and signed by a council of Catholic priests will be presented to Gov. Brad Henry's office Friday, Roman Catholic leaders announced today.


The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City's Council of Priests, along with Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran signed the pledge which outlines the clergy leaders' opposition to the law which goes into effect Nov. 1.

"With the advent of this new law, we are standing together in opposition and defiance of this unjust and immoral law," the pledge states.

The pledge was co-authored by the Rev. Lance Schmitz, minister of social justice at Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene, and Rex Friend, a Quaker leader and immigration law attorney.

In a prepared statement released this afternoon, archdiocese spokesman Ray Dwyer said the pledge signed by Beltran and the priests' council will be submitted to Henry's office Friday.

http://newsok.com/article/3156793

Arest the priest for aiding and abetting if they so much as take in one illegal alien, I am down right sick of them thinking they are above the law of the Land!!

You realize that if Bush wanted to he could stop all this bickering and nonsense. He is going to just let it continue.

Yes he is!! His plans for the North American Union!!

PLEDGE OF RESISTANCE

This letter has been authored and signed in response to the recent signing into law of HB 1804. This new law is fiercely anti-immigrant and is not reflective of values which respect people and families.

With the advent of this new law, we are standing together in opposition and defiance of this unjust and immoral law.

This law states that to aid, assist or transport any undocumented person in the state of Oklahoma is a felony and “on violating the provisions of subsections A or B of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for not less than one (1) year, or by a fine of not less than One (1) Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Our various faith traditions instruct us to do good to all peoples. There is no exemption clause for those persons who do not have documentation of their citizenship status. We will not show partiality to those who are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Because this law is overly punitive and makes a felony of the act of providing humanitarian assistance to an undocumented person in need; we the undersigned clergy, religious leaders, and lay people of conscience will not and can not obey this law. We will continue to aid and assist all people regardless of their legal citizenship status, with charitable care and spiritual counsel.

We people of faith and conscience refuse to be defined by fear of Oklahoma’s law which makes servant-leaders felons. Rather, we stand in obedience to faith, hope, and love. We call for repeal of this anti-immigrant bill and for the passage of immigration reform that provides justice for all of God’s children.

We stand together, in solidarity, in defiance of this law because of our allegiance to a higher law; the love of humanity.

__________________ Signature

The reason they are going to have a hard time fighting this law is it is already a federal law, " Immigration Nationality Act of 1996" .