Oklahoma AG Pushes to Reinstate Law Criminalizing Unauthorized Immigrants
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is appealing to a federal court to reinstate a law criminalizing unauthorized immigrants in the state.
In his motion to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, Drummond keeps most of the same arguments in favor of House Bill 4156’s merits and justification.
He says giving local law enforcement in Oklahoma the ability to arrest anyone without legal immigration status is necessary to fight what he calls an “unprecedented onslaught” of criminal activity caused by illegal immigration through the southern border.
Drummond says the opponents of the law who sued lack standing in court. And he argues the lawsuit should not have been joined with other cases. In addition, he says a federal judge who has suspended the law went too far in his ruling.
Death Row Inmate Makes Final Appeals To Save His Life
Despite a clemency recommendation from the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, 52-year-old Emmanuel Littlejohn is still facing execution this week.
One anti-capital punishment group is working to bring attention to the case.
On Monday, Death Penalty Action read a message from Littlejohn during a Zoom press conference.
“Governor Stitt, please spare my life. I know he is a good man. I pray that you would please save my life,” was read.
Littlejohn was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the 1992 fatal shooting of Kenneth Meers during a robbery of an Oklahoma City convenience store.
Over the weekend, Death Penalty Action updated 10 billboards around Oklahoma City addressing Stitt with the hashtag “Save Emmanuel Littlejohn.”
Littlejohn is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Kevin Stitt has only granted clemency once in his tenure as Oklahoma governor - to Julius Jones just hours before his scheduled execution in 2021.
Oklahoma City TV Station Sues State Superintendent
Oklahoma City TV news station KFOR is suing State Superintendent Ryan Walters for access to State Board of Education meetings and press conferences. The lawsuit, filed Monday, comes after repeatedly being refused entry.
KFOR alleges in the federal lawsuit its reporting team has been sequestered to an overflow room during state board meetings, while all other media members are allowed to be in the room with the board. Since March, this has happened four times.
The suit also alleges OSDE Communications Director Dan Isett has denied KFOR access to the press conferences Walters provides after each meeting.
Isett said the outlet wasn’t a legitimate news organization. KFOR holds press credentials that allow staff access to the Capitol Complex, including the Department of Education. Isett later said in a statement his office would not work with “tabloids who consistently editorialize and report false information rather than inform the public.”
The suit alleges Walters and Isett violated First Amendment rights to free speech and press, and seeks a court order to allow KFOR into the meetings and press conferences.
The next board meeting is Thursday.
Oklahoma's Private School Tax Credit Program Faces Scrutiny Over Lack of Financial Transparency
A tax credit program helps Oklahomans cover the cost of private school tuition and fees. However, the Oklahoma Tax Commission says the law prevents it from tracking how much each school gets.
An examination by the Tulsa World newspaper found schools in Idaho, California, Ohio, Florida and Japan were registered for the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit.
The newspaper reports when contacted for data, the OTC said it keeps the payments to each school confidential under state law. House Speaker-elect Kyle Hilbert told the Tulsa World while he wants the numbers, he is concerned about releasing identifiable data from small schools with few students.
The 2023 law provides state income tax credits of 5 thousand to seventy- five hundred dollars to the parents of children attending private schools registered for the program.
The program's budget will increase to $250 million over the next two tax years. Recent legislation will bar out-of-state schools from participating starting in Spring 2025.
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