Oklahoma is very much Republican-dominated, and as such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when new bills are proposed to suit the state’s political preferences. Well, somebody isn’t telling that to the roughly 35 percent who label themselves as Democrats within Oklahoma, as agencies and citizens are angry about a newly proposed bill that would bring severe fines and even potential prison time for certain agents and agencies providing any aid to illegal immigrants.
In a story shared on Reddit and originally reported by The Oklahoman, and OKCFox, a new bill is causing quite a stir across the state and online forums. State Senator Randy Grellner is proposing a bill that will prevent NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) from providing any help or assistance to illegal immigrants. This would still allow official, state-sanctioned operations to use them as workers, but anyone outside that umbrella would essentially be crippled.
The Homeless Alliance CEO, Meghan Mueller, issued a stern statement condemning the bill.
As a nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness, the Homeless Alliance strongly opposes proposed Oklahoma legislation that would punish nonprofit organizations and their staff for providing basic humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. We are not an enforcement agency, and we do not have the capacity or authority to conduct immigration screenings for people seeking urgent help.
Despite Oklahoma being dominated by Conservatives, Reddit exploded with unkind words for the controversial bill.
“Jesus is just a mascot for MAGA Christians: His actual teachings are woke. Do you notice which group is not targeted for a felony? People who employ illegal immigrants. The people who employ illegal immigrants are overwhelmingly Republicans. Fucking with them will make them angry, and an angry Republican doesn’t give bribes I mean campaign contributions to politicians who criminalize their business plans.”
“The way this is worded could shut down food banks, homeless shelters, early head start centers, community healthcare facilities… how are homeless people or everyone seeking help, going to carry around proof they’re US citizens?”
“Note that seeking asylum is one of the ways that you come to the United States “the right way.” There is literally a legal process that asylum seekers follow. Absolutely insane that they are treating these people as criminals.”
As you can see, this bill would dramatically change how immigrants operate in the state and would cause an even bigger stir if it became law.
