Immigration law's support shows strain
HB 1804: Dissent grows

House Bill 1804 passed un- equivocally in the Oklahoma Legislature. Even now, many still support it. But dissent is seeping into Republican leadership, and it's spilling out into the street.

"I'm very concerned,” said Rep. Don Armes, R-Faxon. "I see the problem, and I agree something has to be done. But I believe we are going about it the wrong way. What's the collateral damage of all this going to be?”

HB 1804 denies driver's licenses and public services to illegal immigrants and criminalizes transporting, concealing and harboring illegal immigrants from detection or in reckless disregard of their citizenship status.

Rep. Randy Terrill, author of HB 1804, said his newest proposal also will allow law enforcement to seize the assets of those prosecuted under the statute. It also will likely include a "taxpayer transparency in education as it relates to illegal aliens” provision.

"How many illegal aliens are in what school districts? How much is it costing taxpayers and whether it is having an adverse effect on our ability to educate own American citizens' children,” said Terill, R-Moore. "That's money that can be used for teacher pay raises, capital improvements and any other reason as opposed to educating children who shouldn't be here in the first place.”

The most controversial provision would deny birth certificates to children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrant parents.

The federal government guarantees this right through the 14th Amendment. This provision would legally challenge the federal government's interpretation.

"I don't agree with the notion of birthright citizenship,” Terrill said. "That is my motive, that is why I am actively looking into it.”

That provision might not make it into proposed legislation, he concedes.