The U.S. Department of Justice(DOJ) has sued Oklahoma on Tuesday. This is hoping to block a law that is seeming to impose criminal penalties on people living in the states illegally.
The lawsuit in federal court is challenging a law that makes it a state crime which will be punishable by two years in prison to live in Oklahoma without proper legal immigration status. Similar laws have already been passed in Texas and Iowa, which are also facing challenges by the DOJ.
The DOJ says that Oklahoma and these other states are going to violate the U.S. Constitution and is asking the court to declare it invalid and bar the state from being able to enforce it.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said the bill was necessary because the Biden administration is failing to secure the nation’s borders.
The Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and the Metro Law Enforcement Agency Leaders said in a joint statement earlier this month saying they weren’t involved in drafting the bill and raised concerns that it would put crime victims at risk because they might fear reporting to law enforcement.
Leave a comment!