State immigration law backers submit petitions

As hundreds gathered today outside the state Capitol to protest Oklahoma's new enforcement immigration law, a supporter of the measure gave the governor's office year-old petitions signed by Oklahomans backing an end to illegal immigration.

Clark Curry, local leader of the John Birch Society, delivered petitions with nearly 2,700 signatures of people against amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Gov. Brad Henry is out of the country on an economic and education fact-finding mission.

"We thank the governor for signing it (the immigration measure),” Curry told Henry's spokesman, Paul Sund, who accepted the signatures.

Curry, of Edmond, said the petitions were collected during the 10 days of the 2006 Oklahoma State Fair."There was no problem at all getting signatures,” he said.

The petitions actually are addressed to members of Congress asking them to vote against a guest worker amnesty bill and vote to secure America's border and stop illegal immigration. Congress last year was considering immigration legislation, but no measure ever passed.

Oklahoma legislators last year were unsuccessful in getting an immigration measure passed.

Curry said he knew legislators would try again this year, and he kept the petitions to give to the governor on the day the new law took effect.

"While there are those that claim we cannot deport all the illegal immigrants,” Curry said, "it's clear to the state of Oklahoma that we won't be catering to their needs any longer and in the resulting environment, they will merely deport themselves.”

He said illegal immigrants will leave Oklahoma as employers comply with the state law and no longer offer jobs to them.