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Welcome to this week’s immigration-focused newsletter, where we recap the latest developments on this legislative session’s slate of immigration related bills. As always, for more details on the bills discussed, visit OK Policy’s Immigration Bill Tracker.
State Developments
House
Yesterday was the deadline for bills to pass out of their chamber of origin, meaning any bill that didn’t pass out of the House floor is ineligible to move forward. Bills are now headed to the opposite chamber where they will once again need to be heard in committee.
Bills that crossed to the Senate
- HB 4422 by Kyle Hilbert – passed the House floor hearing 80-18.
- The bill mandates the use of SAVE to verify the eligibility and legal status of applicants for TANF and SNAP. If an applicant’s status can’t be confirmed, the Attorney General will notify ICE.
- You can watch the policy committee meeting here and the oversight committee meeting here. You can watch the floor debate here.
- Has not been assigned to a Senate Committee.
- HB 4423 by Kyle Hilbert – passed the House floor hearing 80-18.
- The bill mandates the use of SAVE to verify the eligibility and legal status of applicants before receiving state health care benefits. If an applicant’s status can’t be confirmed, the Attorney General will notify ICE.
- You can watch the committee meeting here and the oversight committee meeting here. You can watch the floor debate here.
- Has not been assigned to a Senate Committee.
Bills that died
- HB 3551 by Cody Maynard – failed to pass off the floor by March 26.
- This bill would restrict in-state tuition and financial aid for non-U.S. citizens and mandate that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education verify a student’s lawful presence in the U.S. through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.
Senate
March 26 was also the deadline for Senate bills to pass off the floor. Despite repeated attempts, Senator Daniels did not agree to hear SB 1470, meaning the bill has died this session.
Bills that crossed to the House
- SB 1633 by Brenda Stanley – passed the Senate floor on Tuesday 39-7.
- The bill removes a provision that allowed students who graduated from Oklahoma high schools and resided in the state with their legal guardian to be eligible for in-state tuition, even if they couldn’t provide documentation of U.S. citizenship or immigration status.
- You can watch the committee meeting here and the floor hearing here.
- Has not yet been assigned to a committee.
Bills that died
- SB 1470 by Michael Brooks – failed to pass off the floor by March 26.
- It would allow any Oklahoma elected official or religious leader to enter private correctional facilities to conduct informal inspections provided they prove their credentials and give three days advance notice of their intended visit.
- SB 1582 by Brian Guthrie – failed to pass off the floor by March 26.
- This bill would restrict who can own land in Oklahoma to only U.S. citizens and immigrants with permission to reside in the country permanently. If a person loses their permanent status, they have one year to divest from their property.
Next Steps
Bills that passed yesterday’s deadline have crossed over to the opposite chamber. They will once again need to be heard in committee to keep moving forward.
Ways to get involved
Unfortunately, SB 1470 did not get heard on the Senate floor before yesterday’s deadline. Thank you to everyone who reached out to your Senator and to Julie Daniels. We will continue to work to advance forward-looking policy that helps all Oklahomans, including immigrants.
Other notable immigration news
The news stories included in this section may be distressing to readers. While it is important to stay informed on the changes to immigration policy that affects our friends, family, and neighbors, it is also important to take care of yourself. We advise being intentional about engaging with news media and taking breaks as needed. Now more than ever it is important to practice resilience and stay rooted in community.
State
- How an Oklahoma school district almost partnered with ICE [KOSU]
- Markwayne Mullin sworn in as DHS secretary after Senate confirmation [CBS News]
- 10th Circuit probes Oklahoma immigration law [Courthouse News Service]
- No ICE deployment planned for OKC and Tulsa airports as rollout targets larger hubs [Fox 25]
- Tulsan takes on mental health impact of immigration enforcement [Tulsa Flyer]
Federal
- ‘They Tricked Me’: A Father Was Chained After He Went to ICE To Reunite With His Kids [KFF Health News]
- Trump Has Detained the Parents of More Than 11,000 U.S. Citizen Kids [ProPublica]
- U.S. Health and Human Services wants to move legal aid for migrant children in custody online [KJZZ Phoenix]
- US judge blocks Trump administration from detaining thousands of refugees [Reuters]
- Trump’s visa policy sidelines immigrant doctors. Here’s how [Axios]
- Construction labor shortage expected after immigration enforcement [Sahan Journal]
- Inside Trump’s Secret Deal to Deport Migrants to Cameroon [The New York Times]
- Stephen Miller Asks Why Texas Pays to Teach Undocumented Children [The New York Times]
- Immigrant kids can attend school regardless of citizenship – some states are challenging this standard [The Conversation]
- Born Abroad and Fearful of ICE, Adoptees Try to Prove They Belong [The New York Times]
