Terrill Testifies On Immigration Reform Law

Rep. Randy Terrill, author of Oklahoma’s omnibus immigration reform law, will testify on the law’s positive impact at a legislative hearing in Utah this evening.

Utah lawmakers have used Terrill’s law as a model for their own immigration reform efforts.

“Oklahoma has blazed a trail on immigration reform that other states are now following due to our success at addressing this issue at a time when Congress refuses to act,” said Terrill, R-Moore. “I am excited by this opportunity and look forward to helping the people of Utah reduce the tremendous burden that illegal aliens place on society.”

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Inhofe, Others Present Immigration Reform Package

Washington (From Fox News) ~ Immigration reform is back, but this time around no one is talking of grand compromise.

Republicans, including Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe, presented a large package of 15 enforcement-focused bills, many designed to shut off the flow of illegals. No provision in the package mimics the 2006 comprehensive immigration reform measures — proposed by Senators Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee — that focused on allowing guest workers into the country.

The specific pieces of legislation deal with everything from completing the 700-mile border fence already in progress, establishing English as the national language, instituting tougher workplace enforcement rules, stripping local police agencies of funding if they support "sanctuary cities" and banning driver's licenses to illegals, something that tripped up Democratic presidential candidate and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton earlier this year as her state's governor initially supported the idea.

See related story below.

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Immigration Law Faces New Legal Test In Tulsa

Attorneys will ask a Tulsa federal judge Wednesday to put a hold on a new law that would crack down on illegal immigration in Oklahoma, the Associated Press reports. The group plans to ask for a temporary injunction. A federal lawsuit challenging the law, which goes into effect Thursday, was refiled last week. It added eight undocumented residents who plan to testify that they will face eviction from their landlords unless they provide legal identification, such as a social security card, as required by the new law. The other plaintiffs include the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and two churches.

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Immigration Law Opponents Want Delay

From www.tulsaworld.com ~ Hispanic community leaders and others against Oklahoma's controversial immigration reform law gathered at the Capitol Monday to call for a delay in enforcing the rule until the federal government comes up with a better solution.

The law, which takes effect Thursday, has sparked intense fear in the Hispanic community that families will be separated, several speakers said."We're asking for a moratorium on all raids, arrests and deportations until such a time as our Congress assumes the responsibility of an immigration law that is just and comprehensive," said the Rev. Victor Orta, president of the American Dream Coalition.

"We are for fair and comprehensive immigration reform, and our Congress has failed us," he said.

The group also announced plans to meet at noon, Thursday, at on the Capitol's South steps to protest the law.

Generally, House Bill 1804, by Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, and Sen. James Williamson, R-Tulsa, makes it a felony to transport or shelter an undocumented immigrant. The bill also tightened rules on identification cards, employment and education benefits."1804 is a very popular law," said Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City. "But, so was Prohibition, and it didn't
take us long to figure out that Prohibition caused more problems than it solved."

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Latinos Seek Emergency Federal Court Action

From The Tulsa World Online ~ The National Coalition of Latino Clergy has filed an emergency motion in Tulsa federal court asking for an expedited hearing in the lawsuit filed Monday in which it and other plaintiffs are challenging House Bill 1804, a strict new state law against illegal immigration.

In the motion filed electronically after business hours on Thursday, the plaintiffs asked for a hearing as soon as possible on its motion for an preliminary injunction. Such an injunction would prevent enforcement of the law, which is scheduled to go into effect by Nov. 1. In their motion, the plaintiffs claim they will suffer irreparable injury unless the court issues an injunction before November 1st.

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Murphey: Health Care Authority Violates New Law

State Rep. Jason Murphey, vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said today that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority has created a "permanent and unconditional expansion of the welfare system" in violation of the new illegal immigration reform law that takes effect November 1st.

Said Murphey, Guthrie Republican: The Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which administers Oklahoma's Medicaid program, voted to approve emergency rules granting taxpayer-subsidized medical coverage to pregnant illegal aliens on the theory that the new child will be a U.S. citizen upon birth.

As it is now, illegal aliens are prohibited from Medicaid prenatal services.This is being done despite the fact that federal law dictates this action may occur only after a state's legislature has given approval.

The Oklahoma Legislature has not authorized any expansion of Medicaid for illegal aliens.

Making matters worse, Governor Brad Henry indicated he will sign off on this expansion of the welfare system. In taking this action, the OHCA board and Governor Henry seem to be saying that the taxpayers of Oklahoma should be forced to act as a welfare state for the rest of the world.

Oklahoma will join only 12 other states across the nation who have a program like this.

The financial impact of this decision will be about $3 million a year, with $1.19 million coming directly from state funds and the rest from our federal tax dollars. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority reports it is delivering 2,767 babies each year to illegal parents, which costs state taxpayers in excess of $8 million.

This action is likely to provide additional enticement for illegal immigration into the United States. If an illegal alien can give birth in America, the child automatically becomes an American citizen.

When the child turns 18, he or she can in turn sponsor relatives for permanent U.S. residency. By using taxpayer dollars to fund this process, state government is directly enabling those who wish to bypass immigration laws.

It is my strong belief that this is yet another example of how harmful situations are produced by big government. As citizens, we have allowed government to take so much money from us in the form of massive taxation that it has become almost impossible to hold government responsible for their decisions on how the money is spent.

I also question the timing of the emergency rule approval. I do not feel it is a coincidence that the "emergency" occurred just days before House Bill 1804, the Illegal Immigration Reform Bill, takes effect.

It appears the Health Care Authority unsuccessfully attempted to extend prenatal coverage to illegal aliens through the Legislature for the past two years. Now, however, the recent vote seems to be an end-run around the clear will of the people's elected officials.

I believe we will be successful in reversing the decision during the next session of the legislature. I will certainly support the effort to keep your tax dollars from being misused in regard to this issue.

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Hispanic Group Files Immigration Lawsuit

From News Reports ~ The president of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy, Reverend Miguel Rivera, announced in Tulsa Monday that his group has filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma House Bill 1804.

The suit, announced in front of the federal court building, names Governor Brad Henry and Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson as defendants.

"The message we are sending to the people of Oklahoma . . . is when things are so difficult, like they are in Tulsa County, there are remedies," Rivera said.

Rivera and others specifically named Tulsa County when referring to the "ethnic cleansing" HB 1804 will cause.

Already, an estimated 25,000 people have left in fear of HB 1804's effects, Rivera said."Stay put, don't go anywhere," Rivera said. "God is on our side. Fairness and justice will be done for our people."

The law, which takes effect November 1st, requires law enforcement agencies to check the immigration status of people arrested for felonies.

Rohit Sharma, local counsel for the coalition, said the group plans to file for an injunction Tuesday, preventing HB 1804 from taking effect.

Tulsa reporters swarm Hispanic spokesman outside the Federal Courthouse in this image courtesy KOTV-Channel 6.

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Inhofe Charges To Front Of Immigration Debate

Senator Jim Inhofe today announced “Secure Borders Now”, a new website for Americans to urge the Senate to consider immigration reform that focuses on enforcing existing border security laws and opposition to amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants.

“Unfortunately it appears many in the Senate remain deaf to the voices of the American people, as yet another backroom deal has emerged designed to revive the fatally flawed immigration bill and its immediate path to amnesty. The ‘Secure Borders Now’ petition gives Americans an opportunity to voice their opposition. I hope my constituents and citizens from all across our country will take action, sign the petition and show how many Americans are strongly opposed to this bill. Despite the promise of increased funding for border security and additional votes on a handful of amendments, the proposed legislation will continue to shortcut the current naturalization process and grant amnesty to 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants currently in our country. That is a trade off that I simply cannot support. The first step in any significant immigration legislation must be securing our borders and enforcing existing laws. It is unconscionable to make border security conditional on the guarantee of amnesty," Inhofe said.

For the latest in the immigration controversy, see the multiple stories posted in our news crawler on the right side of this page.

The website is http://www.securebordersnow.com/.

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Noted Quotes: Coburn, Inhofe Laud 'Flawed' Immigration Bill Failure, Seek 'Secure Borders'

From U. S. Senator Tom Coburn: “The failure of this amnesty bill is a victory for fairness, and the rule of law. Though there were good provisions in the bill, such as a merit-based immigration system, the overall bill would have been harmful to our nation and would have done nothing to solve our problems with illegal immigration. It is my hope the Senate will work together to produce a bill that protects our nation by first securing our borders and enforcing our laws.”

From U. S. Senator Jim Inhofe: “This legislation was substantively and procedurally flawed from the beginning. The bill did not undergo the normal legislative process, but instead we were expected to vote on a bill that members did not have a chance to review until two days before floor consideration. The Democratic leadership also refused to allow consideration of dozens of Republican amendments. Though my amendment to make English the national language was successful and passed the Senate by a wide bi-partisan majority, many amendments that could have positively impacted the overall bill were never allowed floor-time. The first step in any significant immigration legislation must be to secure our borders. The Senate bill focused far too much on controversial and irresponsible programs such as the ‘Z-visa,’ and far too little on ensuring that our borders are no longer porous. It is time that we deal with real immigration reform beginning with border security. Thankfully, Americans of all stripes weighed in on this issue, influencing Congressional opinions and helping defeat this bill. It is clear that in the future we must deal with the issue of illegal immigration without a path to amnesty and by securing our borders.”

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Coburn's Immigration Amendment Fails Vote

U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, (R-OK), today released the following statement regarding his amendment to S. 1348, the Senate immigration bill. Coburn’s amendment called on Congress to secure our borders and enforce existing immigration laws before granting amnesty. The Senate rejected the amendment by a vote of 42-54.

“The American public cannot trust any new promises made by the Congress concerning immigration because the federal government has not kept its word. The American people expect their laws to be upheld. Yet, despite numerous laws on the books today, our borders are not secure and we have an estimated 12 million people in this country illegally,” Coburn said. “Congress’ broken promises have caused the American public to lose trust in the government’s ability to secure our nation’s borders and address our problems with illegal immigration.”

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Noted Quote

“The American people want Congress to fix our broken immigration system, but this bill takes the wrong approach. Offering amnesty to illegal immigrants and not taking steps to secure our borders is the wrong way to approach immigration reform and will only postpone meaningful reform." ~ U. S. Senator Tom Coburn

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Henry Signs Immigration Reform Bill

Governor Brad Henry today signed into law the immigration reform bill that is described as among the toughest in the nation. Henry said he signed the bill into law because the state cannot wait on the federal government to deal with the problems caused by illegal immigration.

"Illegal immigration is a very serious national security issue that must be addressed at the federal level," Henry said. "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."

Henry said that House Bill 1804 will not effectively address immigration reform, although some will claim it is a landmark step: "State leaders should closely monitor the impact of House Bill 1804 in the months and years to come to ensure that it does not have any unintended consequences," the governor said.

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Immigration Reform Package Goes To Henry

An Oklahoma immigration reform measure called perhaps the most meaningful in the nation is on its way to the governor's desk after passage by the House Tuesday. House Bill 1804 passed by a vote of 84 to 14. The bill also has the support of two national immigration reform advocacy groups, and has been called the single most significant step that any state has taken, and one of the nation's toughest anti-illegal immigration laws.

House Speaker Lance Cargill said that, given the governor's silence on the issue of illegal immigration so far this legislative session, he hoped the governor would not attempt last-minute stalling tactics to stop reform and protect the status quo.

"Given the governor's recent pattern of vetoing needed reforms this year, I think there's real concern about whether he will sign this bill. I call on him to sign this legislation without delay," said Cargill.

"For too long, our nation and our state have looked the other way and ignored a growing illegal immigration crisis," said Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore), author of HB 1804. "Oklahoma's working families should not be forced to subsidize illegal immigration. With passage of House Bill 1804, we will end that burden on our citizens."

"We were forced to take action at the state level because of the total lack of action by the federal government on this issue," said Senator Jim Williamson (R-Tulsa), who authored the legislation in the Senate."We listened to all interested parties in putting this bill together. This bill reaches our bottom-line goal of protecting jobs for working Oklahomans."

Terrill said that some House Democrats disingenuously attempted to delay HB 1804 on Tuesday by debating or voting against Senate amendments to the reform legislation. "A 'no' vote on the Senate amendments is basically equivalent to a no vote on the entire effort to offer immigration reform," said Terrill. "Some House Democrats were merely trying to spin a bad vote today. They tried to argue that Senate amendments to the bill 'watered it down.' But we know those who opposed this bill aren't for immigration reform."

Terrill said that House Bill 1804, the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2007, is a landmark first step to offer immigration reform for Oklahoma. The bill is part of the House Republican majority's legislative agenda, and has now passed both chambers of the Legislature by overwhelming bipartisan margins.

Key elements of the bill focus on determining work eligibility. The measure also contains provisions to ensure taxpayer-supported benefits are made available to American citizens and legal immigrants only. The bill also gives state and local law enforcement officials the power to enforce federal immigration law, as well as restricting access by illegal aliens to driver's licenses and ID cards.

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Cargill, Terrill Praise Immigration Bill Passage

House Speaker Lance Cargill and Rep. Randy Terrill today praised members of the Oklahoma Senate for passing a tough illegal immigration bill and predicted it will soon be sent to Governor Brad Henry.

"This landmark legislation recognizes that government first has a duty to those citizens who play by the rules, follow the law and pay taxes," said Cargill, R-Harrah. "We cannot expect others to abide by the law when there are rewards for breaking the law."

"This is a great day for Oklahoma taxpayers," said Terrill, R-Moore. "For too long, the working families of Oklahoma have been forced to subsidize illegal immigration. With passage of House Bill 1804, that will come to an end."

The bill creates the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2007. The bill is part of the House Republican majority's legislative agenda and previously passed out of the House of Representatives by an overwhelming, 88-9 bipartisan vote. The Oklahoma Senate approved the bill today with strong bipartisan support on a 41-6 vote.

The bill has the support of two national immigration reform advocacy groups and has been labeled one of the nation's toughest anti-illegal immigration laws. Key elements of the bill focus on determining work eligibility. The measure also contains provisions to ensure taxpayer-supported benefits are made available to American citizens and legal immigrants only. The bill also gives state and local law enforcement officials the power to enforce federal immigration law.

Terrill said he is committed to working with advocacy groups to address any continuing concerns they may have about the new law.

The bill will now return to the House for a final vote before going to Henry for his signature. "After accepting Senate amendments, I sincerely hope that Governor Henry will quickly sign House Bill 1804 into law," Terrill said.

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Senate Committee Passes Immigration Bill

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Tuesday in favor of House Bill 1804, the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizens Protection Act of 2007, part of the House Republican majority's legislative agenda.

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House Votes Today On Immigration Reform

The Oklahoma House is slated to vote on Bill 1804, the Oklahoma Taxpayer & Citizen Protection Act of 2007, at approximately 1:30 p.m. today. The measure has been called the most meaningful reform effort in the nation by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI). For late details.

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House Plans To Advance Immigration Reform Bill

House Republicans leaders said Monday they will advance the nation's most meaningful immigration reform law this week when a House committee takes up House Bill 1804, an omnibus reform measure.

"Our immigration reform effort is about upholding Oklahoma's rule of law and respecting immigrants who come to our country legally," said Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah). "We must do more to make sure that Oklahoma's social safety net is not strained to the breaking point by illegal immigration."

Rep. Randy Terrill, author of House Bill 1804, the Oklahoma Taxpayer & Citizen Protection Act of 2007, said the measure is scheduled to be heard by the full House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in room 412-C at the State Capitol. The measure is a key part of the House GOP's Safe Families platform in the Year of Ideas Agenda.

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