Oklahoma Capitol protest over anti-immigration bill draws large crowd: 'Now make them hear you'

An anti-immigration bill swept into law as a public safety measure by Oklahoma's heavily Republican Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt drew a large protest crowd to the state Capitol Wednesday.

The rally was part of Hispanic Cultural Day, an event started by Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, eight years ago. It’s typically a day to celebrate culture, invite state leaders to see who they are, get used to seeing their faces and enjoy their culture, she told the crowd.

This year was different. After the governor signed House Bill 4156 ― a bill that creates a crime of “impermissible occupation” and calls for a fine, jail and removal of people without legal documentation — the day’s agenda shifted toward advocacy. The rally even interrupted the fourth day of a special budget summit meeting because the Capitol Rotunda buzzed with people, music, food and vendors, which could be heard in the session's conference room on the second floor.

“They have shown us this year that they don’t deserve us,” Menz told the crowd. “They don’t deserve our food, our music, our faces, our smiles.”

Menz said supporters of the new law didn’t think through its economic ramifications of the bill, adding that the state takes immigrant labor for granted. Everyone has been touched by immigrant labor, she summarized. “They earned this. Now make them hear you.”

More: Gov. Stitt defends controversial immigration bill, veto of domestic violence bill

A retired group of workers wearing hard hats came to show unity and to protest. One of the members, Arturo Delgado said it was sad that the Legislature is using scare tactics toward the community to get reelected. He said that if lawmakers wanted to help the Latino community, they could have helped members get worker visas instead of criminalizing immigrants. He said people were scared and mad.

“They claim to be Christians. Why don’t they open the Bible and read it?” Delgado asked. “It’s very political, but they don’t realize how they’re affecting families … mental health for the young kids that are saying, ‘What if I come home and mom’s not home?’ They don’t see that.”

Giovanni Rangel said he attended the rally with his sister, Fatima, to bring out the voice of the immigrant community.

“Me and my sister, we’re here to stand for our parents and for anybody else who doesn’t feel like they’re able to stand for themselves,” he said. “It makes me feel like we’re going backwards again.”

To him, it seemed like Gov. Stitt was forced to sign it because of his political party. “It makes me feel really awful that knowing this is going through and this is something we have to go through,” he said.

Others expressed similar thoughts. Members of the Latino Caucus, Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, and Sen. Michael Brooks-Jimenez, D-Oklahoma City, said they had received calls from people who are worried about getting separated from family and friends.

“There are constituents who are calling, wanting to know whether or not it’s safe to take their kids to school,” Brooks said.

At the rally, he noted they were the ones who work in restaurants and put roofs back on after tornados.

Local restaurants close to allow employees to attend the rally

Hal Smith Restaurants closed more than 30 locations across 10 of the concepts within its brand Wednesday to support employees who expressed a "desire to assemble at the Capitol for a day of advocacy."

"More businesses should’ve done this. Thank you for understanding that 85% of your kitchen workers are Hispanic," said Facebook user Aaron Galindo in response to the Louie's Northwest Expressway post.

Reactions online varied with some criticizing or questioning the closures and others praising the company's decision.

"This speaks volumes about the management/owners. Tonight is a Thunder game night, which I'm sure would generate a lot of profit. Respect this decision," Facebook user Angie Wheelis Mulligan commented on the announcement on The Garage (Britton Road) page.

More: Louie's, The Garage, other OKC restaurants close; employees attend protest

Comments on some restaurant posts were limited, and some Facebook users took to their own pages to post their thoughts, even calling for boycotts of the restaurant group.

The Oklahoman reached out to Hal Smith Restaurants who declined to comment further on what motivated the decision to close, when the decision was made, or if there are any concerns about pushback or lost business.

Latino Caucus planning to file lawsuit

Brooks-Jimenez and Alonso-Sandoval said a lawsuit should be filed before the law takes effect on July 1. A similar bill in Texas, Senate Bill 4, was blocked in a federal appeals court, so it’s not being enforced. The Latino Caucus is hoping for a similar result in Oklahoma.

Alonso-Sandoval argued that the Oklahoma law is unconstitutional because it supersedes the federal government. He also pointed to the law’s vague language, questioning how it would be enforced.

“I don’t walk my dog around my neighborhood with my passport, birth certificate and driver’s license,” he said.

More: Law enforcement organizations speak out against Oklahoma's HB 4156

“They’re wanting to use immigration as something that can pretty much move them forward with in their political aspirations but they’re directly impacting a community that’s contributing in so many different ways to the state of Oklahoma,” he said.

Brooks-Jimenez said the law affects more than just the Latino culture and people.

“It’s part of the pride of the United States that we’re a diverse country with people from all over the world and that fabric of the United States is made up of immigrants,” he told The Oklahoman.

Police association says enforcing law is akin to racial discrimination

Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley said they do not check immigration statuses and to do so for every person would be a huge burden. The department has spent years building relationships by attending community meetings, events, festivals and visiting schools, but this law could negatively impact those connections, setting them back at square one, he said.

“Every police chief is concerned about this,” he said. “The number one concern when you look at communities with undocumented people, they have a high probability to be victims of crime because they’re less likely to call the police.”

A joint statement by the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and Metro Law Enforcement Agency Leaders released on Tuesday via Facebook said the law conflicts with many existing directives over law enforcement practices.

Editorial: Oklahoma already has laws to deal with criminals. New bill could harm immigrant communities more

The release noted law enforcement leaders from state organizations and municipalities were not substantively involved during the process of drafting and signing the law. It places crime victims at risk by increasing the fear of reporting to law enforcement and brings legal challenges in fair and impartial policing and anti-racial profiling, the statement said.

“This law has the potential to destroy the connections and relationships we have built within our local immigrant communities and set us back for many years to come,” the agencies wrote. They also acknowledged many immigrant communities who are fearful and uncertain about their futures. They will continue to work with legal advisors and community stakeholders to ensure their service is lawful and consistent with community expectations, the release said.

How Oklahoma passed an anti-immigration bill

The language makes "impermissible occupation" as a first offense a misdemeanor punishable by a year in county jail and/or a maximum $500 fine. Subsequent arrests would be felonies punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a maximum $1,000 fine. In both cases, offenders would be required to leave the state within 72 hours of their conviction or release from custody, whichever comes later.

Stitt and other legislative leaders touted the bill as a public safety measure. Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who originally requested the legislation, praised senators, noting the legislation allows "state law enforcement officers to arrest and incarcerate illegal immigrants as a means of helping combat Oklahoma's numerous illegal marijuana grow operations."

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, criticized the Biden administration for its "failure to secure the border," with the speaker saying that it has made "every state into a border state."

“This measure protects immigrants here legally, while ensuring law enforcement have the tools necessary to go after criminals,” Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat said in a news release after the bill's passage in the Senate. “The southern border crisis has created a scourge of illegal activities, including an increase in fentanyl, human trafficking and crime in our communities because of the inaction and abject failure at the federal level to secure our borders.”

Stitt signed the bill on April 30. Upon signing, he also created the Oklahoma State Work Permits and Visas Task Force to figure out how to match up the state's workforce with employers who need more workers. The task force hasn’t met yet and it’s unclear if the meetings will be open to the public, a spokesperson from the governor’s office said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Capitol protest draws large crowd over anti-immigration law HB 4156