OKLAHOMANS have barely begun to understand the practical implications of the state's new immigration reform law, and its author is promising even more such reform in the coming legislative session.
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House Bill 1804 took effect Nov. 1. Within days, those with expired driver's licenses got a taste of the newest layer of immigration-related bureaucracy. Oklahomans who renew their licenses before they expire have nothing to worry about. But those who let their license lapse or are seeking an upgrade to a commercial driver's license must provide proof of residence to an examiner. That means rounding up a birth certificate, passport or naturalization certificate and taking a trip to a driver testing station — rarely a pleasant experience.
The easy answer is not to forget about renewal, which is easier said than done since the state no longer sends out renewal reminders. This example is just a small taste of HB 1804's potential consequences for those here legally. The big and more costly issues lie ahead.
Unfortunately, Rep. Randy Terrill is too excited about publicity over what some are calling the nation's toughest immigration law. So now he's promising the "son of HB 1804” will take aim at children of illegal immigrants. He wants public schools to start keeping tabs on such children. He also wants to forbid noncitizen mothers from getting subsidized prenatal care and not issue traditional birth certificates to their children who are born in Oklahoma.
Our advice: Slow down. Legal challenges to HB 1804 need to be sorted out. State and local governments are still figuring out how to enforce it, and we don't know yet what the costs — in money and time — will be.
It would be best for the federal government to craft comprehensive immigration reform. Meantime, state lawmakers shouldn't hurry with new laws until we better understand the consequences of the one already on the books.
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"Comprehensive immigration reform" -- which this editorial advocates -- is, these days, a euphemism for "comprehensive capitulation to Mexico." We don't actually need "reform", i.e. new laws. Instead we just need steady, unrelenting enforcement of our existing immigration laws. HB1804 is Oklahoma's contribution to that nation-saving effort.
Personally I think that you should show 3 forms of Identification when you renew your license. I also think that you need a photo ID to vote. Voting is a right of every American, and the importance of voting effects the town, state, and federal government. Every effort must be made to ensure only those eligible to vote votes. Those that cheat the system and gets caught should be charged with voter fraud and treason and hung by the neck until they are dead.
Why don't all these people who are crying over this law just work to make it easier for a person who wants to work to come to America? I have no problem with anyone who wants a better life. Just don't come here illegally, and you damn sure better not expect me to change my ways to appease you. You come here, you learn English. You bet I would never move to another country and expect the country to change their ways for me!
Usually when the law is broken, no one person is singley affected. You and Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson can play a full deck of "race cards", it doesn't change the fact that they are illegal and ignoring them is not going to solve the problem. And it doesn't make me a racist. There are legal avenues to citizenship in this country and just because they are already here doesn't mean it doesn't apply to them. We don't need to expand our social welfare system any further. The Communist Manifesto states "FROM each according to his ability, TO each according to his need". I am not ready to give up what I have earned to those who have not served this country in any way and I am sure not ready for a socialist state or communism. I believe it is called "Creeping Socialism", conquered little by little, degree by degree, one illegal at a time.
Oh.. and Harvey.. They weren't supposed to come here. It was, is, and will be against the law. How convoluted you get. Let it go. They MUST go.. and come back legally if they want. You must be brighter than what your writings would indicate. Don't get all angry and stuff. Take a deep breath. These problems of wives and children and seperation are all of their own making. They made those decisions. Now... they must deal with those decisions.
David, whatever,,, umm.. but if there was a goon squad you might want to double lock you door cause you would be a good first goon to come get. oh.. you meant the squad would be made up of goons.. I got it, sheriff, police, Highway Patrol... are you calling them goons... wow.. you are one tough guy. Make sure all of your tail lights are working, and you signal when changing lanes. The illegals will leave, they will have a chance to return, now let's go pick some other problem to fix.
Ed your friends that you love so much are likely harboring illegal family members. How can you talk love and favor this racist hate-filled bill? If I were your friend and you had mixed loyalties about my people, I would rather not have your friendship at all. Jesus said, "he who is not for me is against me". The bible also says for those of you who need to hear it again, "be kind to a foreigner, you were once a stranger in the land" and "if a foreigner be pleased to dwell with you, let him he is family." Before anyone starts screaming the bible says obey the law of the land, those scriptures are in the old testament and Proverbs and have been for several thousand years. Hate Bill 1804 has only been in effect since Nov. 1, 2007. The Hate Bill is subject to be REPEALED! This law affects children born in America. I am talking about the American woman that had a child from an illegal and the White Man that has an illegal Mexican wife. Then there are the children of illegals "Anchor babies" that those of you have so endearingly dubbed. Plus spouses of immigrants. No one person is singley affected.
This particular article leaves out the English as the official language proposal. English as the official language is DISRESPECTFUL to the Indian tribes in the state of Oklahoma. There are over 31 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma. It is bad enough that Indians have mixed feelings about the Centennial of Oklahoma, but to have a proposal for English as the official language is a slap in the face to every Native American in this state. The Daily Oklahoman SAID, "SLOW DOWN"! You mindless, can't think for yourselves racist, hatefilled supporters of Hate Bill 1804 and the "son of Hate Bill 1804" SLOW DOWN. You all do everything that the Oklahoman tells you to do, so listen this time. Oklahomans can't think for themselves or beyond the driveway of their houses. The Oklahoman's propaganda has always manipulated the masses to adopt whatever agenda that they have chosen to further. HATE BILL 1804 needs to be REPEALED because it targets-Hispanics and Mexicans. That is the agenda. It has always been the agenda. I'm sorry my fellow Okies, I don't put Mexicans in the same category of the people from "over there".
Don't be absurd. Of course not. Why ignore something happening right under your nose to save the rest of the world? It smacks of hypocrisy. The point is that in this country we have a whole lot of hunger and poverty and crime that needs to be addressed before we start accomadating the poverty and hunger from the rest of the world, especially, and it doesn't matter what kind of silk ribbon you put on it, those who come here illegally.
I would bet that all those pregnant illegals got really great pre-natal care down in Mexico, wouldn't you? Most likely, they waited until they got to the states to get prego so as to make an "anchor baby".
Wake up there David, that is what this is all about. If you are so worried about the unborn, protest abortion in this country. Abortion kills legal citizens.
Like I said Mike you just need to assemble the goon squads to go find them. That would be OK with you wouldn't it? Just admit it. In the meantime you are fine with denying mothers pre-natal care as Terill wants and endangering the unborn, right?
You go ED!!! You should try to enforce these "immigration laws" with the beauracracy telling you can't. Try arresting an illigal alien and his boss getting Congressman Lucas on board and having to let him got BECAUSE???? Now see where your Congressmen stand????
Keep the pressure on, Rep. Randy Terrill. English, as the official language needs to codified. Spanish is not the Co-official language although it is plastered on everything you buy now days. Guess who fought and died for all this freedom and liberty to run your pie holes, it wasn't illegal aleins, it was Americans who took up the American flag, not the Mexican flag. Racist? Not at all. Love my Hispanic friends, they are all legal immigrants who were born here and are citizens legally. If you want to see jack boots and blackshirts leave the border open long enough and they will make their way here while you are playing nice.
Denying mothers pre-natal care? Harassing children at school? What's next, special immigration teams in jack boots and black shirts that pull up to people's homes in the dead of night and drag suspected illegals away. Sounds pretty dramatic I know but sometimes I wonder when you people will ever be satisfied.
I frequently take issue with the Daily Oklahoman editors for their stance on issues, so today I'd like to commend them! Thank you, editors, for supporting cautious actions on further bills until we fully understand the legal & humanitarian/ethical rights & wrongs of Mr. Terrill's law! I believe that the truth-in-sentencing laws were widely supported when they were passed, but here several years later, we see the heavy price of these rigorous sentencing laws. That is the continued consumption of tax dollars at the local, county & state levels to deal with the high numbers of incarcerated persons. If memory serves, we were also supportive of right-to-work, but look at the number of companies who have fled Oklahoma, despite all the promises of RTW to keep employers & add more? Who has stepped up to replace jobs lost from companies like GM, Conoco-Phillips Petroleum, Dayton Tire, and Wrangler? My point is, when we pass laws that have BROAD ramifications in society, we are right to be cautious in further actions while assessing whether the desired affect is reached without immense harm to others. Inconvenience to citizens during a license renewal doesn’t qualify as immense harm in my eyes, but it will likely take more time to see other affects, that we may not have anticipated. It HAS only been 12 days since the law went into effect.
Concerned, Central Oklahoma - Nov 12, 2007 12:48 PM
The states according to our constitutional makeup always have more rights than the federal government. The reason why we're in this mess is because the states won't take care of the problem and pass off their responsibility to the feds. That time is over. States are now realizing that they need to be more responsible because the feds only have one thing in mind, the North American Union.
the oklahoman, what a bunch of beleive me, im the only one who really knows, idiots. they write it, your supposed to believe it. ( OH YES ) WHY PEOPLE BUY THAT TRASHY NEWS PAPER I'LL NEVER KNOW. the'er right your, oppinion dont count. so keep on buying that sorry paper, i dont and, and i never will.
I'm glad to see Oklahoma trying to do something about a problem that is much larger than most are willing to admit. I'm sure unelected judges will figure out a way to mess it up. Remember, the American Revolution didn't start overnight.
I see an interesting unintended result. The proposal to cease prenatal care will cause harm to unborn children. Does Randy Terrell see the irony in harming the unborn by denying prenatal care, but opposing abortion?
I do not beleive that the school checks will be held valid. By accepting Federal money for education, Oklahoma has agreed to Federal rules and Federal Premption. Any efforts that exceed the Federal guides will likely be struck down.
Mike
I share your thoughts about the editors comments
So the state does not remind you to renew your license.
What ever happened to self responsibility?
How sad that now the news papers are having to find items such as a license renewal to find fault with a bill
And news papers around the USA wonder why they are in trouble
Mr. Editor,, are you really serious? The ONLY negative consequence you can come up with is ... a trip to a driver testing station? That was true before 1804.. if your license was expired, or if you wanted to upgrade. Your advice? What a joke! Sorry, actually it isn't a joke, it's a disservice to your readers and to the citizens of Oklahoma. Our opinion is, by a large majority, in agreement with the bill as written. And, it is my opinion that the bill offered next session will be equally received. Acutally, I believe that 1804 will have such a positive effect, and so many of the illegals will have left, that we will enjoy reading labels in the supermarkets in larger print, because hopefully they will be in English only. No French, no German, no Spanish, but in English. The halls of our schools will be filled with students speaking English with each other. Other countries are setting priorities for their citizens to learn English, while we worry about having a bilingual society teaching spanish. What a convoluted country we are.
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Wake up there David, that is what this is all about. If you are so worried about the unborn, protest abortion in this country. Abortion kills legal citizens.
I do not beleive that the school checks will be held valid. By accepting Federal money for education, Oklahoma has agreed to Federal rules and Federal Premption. Any efforts that exceed the Federal guides will likely be struck down.
I share your thoughts about the editors comments
So the state does not remind you to renew your license.
What ever happened to self responsibility?
How sad that now the news papers are having to find items such as a license renewal to find fault with a bill
And news papers around the USA wonder why they are in trouble