The Justice Department of the United States sued Oklahoma over an immigration rule that could make people living in the state illegally face criminal charges.
A lawsuit is being filed against an Oklahoma law that could make living in the state illegal and lead to up to two years in jail. States like Texas and Iowa have passed rules like this, but they are also having problems with the justice department. These states have been pushing for stricter immigration laws, and this is not the first bill or law that aims to control immigration.
The Justice Department says that Oklahoma’s law goes against the U.S. Constitution and wants the state to say that it’s not legal. “Oklahoma cannot ignore the US Constitution and settled Supreme Court precedent,” said Brian M. Boynton, who is the head of the justice department’s civil division and the US’s principal deputy assistant attorney general.
“We are taking this action to make sure that Oklahoma follows the Constitution and the rules that Congress made for controlling immigration,” he said.
The governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt, said that the law was needed because President Joe Biden is not doing enough to protect the country. He went on, “On top of that, they make it hard for states to protect their citizens.”
The Attorney General of Oklahoma said that the federal government has a lot of power when it comes to immigration, but not “exclusive power.”
It is against the law for many foreigners in these states to say they feel safe enough to leave their homes. A lot of different protests have happened across the state because of the law. Immigrants and their families have been there to voice their worries about the new rules. “People are afraid to step out of their homes if legislation like this is proposed and then passed,” said Sam Wargin Grimaldo, who recently spoke out at a protest.
