Lawmaker hopes to revive stalled anti-illegal immigrant legislation

OKLAHOMA CITY - Legislation that would expand Oklahoma's anti-illegal immigrant law has stalled in the Oklahoma House, but its author said Wednesday he hopes to revive the idea by attaching parts of it to a Senate-passed measure.

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, said he decided not to pursue immigration legislation that would augment a law passed last year targeting illegal immigrants because support for it was weak. Terrill also authored last year's bill, which had wide support.

"We made a strategic decision," Terrill said. "I think it's very important that if we're going to have additional immigration measures that we have a consensus in our caucus."

Even if the measure was approved by the House, it faced "almost certain death" in the Senate, Terrill said.

"They're getting hit from all sides," Terrill said. Although public opinion polls indicate expanding state anti-illegal immigrant guidelines has wide voter support, businesses have complained that last year's law has driven Hispanic workers — legal and illegal — out of the state, making it harder to find workers.

Last month, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Oklahoma's anti-illegal immigration law, alleging it interferes with federal immigration law and creates a patchwork of uncoordinated state immigration procedures.

"There is a great deal of pressure on both sides," Terrill said.

Last year's measure, House Bill 1804, went into effect for the public sector on Nov. 1 and will go into effect July 1 for private sector employers.

Among other things, it bars illegal immigrants from receiving tax-supported services, requires employers to verify the immigration status of their employees and exposes employers to legal action for hiring unauthorized immigrants in place of U.

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