A new issue brief from Community Action Project (CAP) examines Oklahoma's new immigration bill, HB 1804, which is slated to take effect November 1st. The brief offers a section-by-section analysis of the bill and explores how its provisions relate to current law and practice in such areas as public benefits, identity cards, employment and law enforcement. It is designed to assist public and private stakeholders in the immigration issue understand how the bill applies to them. Among the issue brief's key findings: Many sections of HB 1804 may either duplicate or mirror what is already in state or federal law or simply put into statute what is already occurring in practice in Oklahoma. The bill does not challenge the constitutionally-guaranteed right of all children to attend school and receive all educational services, regardless of legal status. While the bill requires verification of legal status for those applying for "public benefits", the established definition of public benefits in state and federal law is limited to certain well-defined government programs, which already are unavailable to unauthorized immigrants. Read entire brief here.

Labels: CAP, Immigration Reform, Rep. Randy Terrill

Posted at 8/16/2007 07:24:00 PM