HB 1804 could hurt state, study shows

Oklahoma's tough anti-illegal immigration law could slash the state's economic output by $1.8 billion in the measure's first year as it drives away thousands of foreign-born workers, according to a study.

The study released Tuesday estimated that if 50,000 foreign-born workers — about half of all immigrant workers — flee the state because of House Bill 1804, it would cause a 1.3 percent reduction in Oklahoma's gross state product in the first year.

The impact would be about $1.3 billion annually in subsequent years, the study by Economic Impact Group LLC estimated.

Oklahoma's 2007 gross state product, the value of all goods and services produced in the state, was estimated at nearly $144 billion.

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, one of the authors of the law, said the study was flawed in a variety of ways, most importantly by assumptions that the economic impact is the most important aspect of the measure.

"It's about fundamental respect for the rule of law, about upholding our state and national sovereignty, about the morality of employing illegal alien labor,” Terrill said. "Those are things that are difficult if not impossible to express in economic terms.”

The Oklahoma Bankers Association commissioned the Edmond firm to analyze the impact of the measure after bankers around the state reported problems for businesses that employed foreign-born workers, said Roger Beverage, association chief executive.

However, the bankers association has taken no position on HB 1804, Beverage said.

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