As uncertainty clouds over Oklahoma’s immigrant community, state representatives and local leaders grapple with new federal immigration legislation that may disrupt the status quo for hundreds of families.
President Donald Trump’s immigration policies have fueled new conversations among Oklahoma representatives, several of whom are in favor and others who are vehemently opposed. A memo obtained by The New York Times notes that Trump seeks to grant Immigration and Customs Enforcement the ability to deport thousands of migrants who entered the country on temporary status through humanitarian programs.
After the memo was released, several Oklahoma leaders endorsed the immigration policies, including State Superintendent Ryan Walters who, in an interview with KOCO on Jan. 23, said he would not rule out the possibility of ICE raids in Oklahoma schools and that schools would comply with the rules that Trump enforces.
“When we pass this rule through, schools will comply. This is part of their accreditation. This is part of our accountability measures. They don't get to pick and choose what laws they go by,” Walters said.
Walters' comments came weeks after Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino sent a message to staff and families shortly before winter break, addressing potential immigration policies that may soon affect NPS.
In an email sent to OU Daily by Courtney Scott, NPS chief communications officer, Migliorino wrote that, while superintendents and district employees are required to follow state and federal laws, he wanted to assure the NPS community that his top priority is to keep schools and district facilities a safe learning environment.
“We will do everything in our power to uphold that commitment. We will stay true to our statutory and constitutional duty to educate students, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or immigration status,” Migliorino wrote.
On Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Board of Education passed a rule requiring schools to ask for proof of U.S. citizenship during enrollment, sending the proposal to the state Legislature.
The rule would have students and parents provide citizenship information when enrolling in schools. According to the rule, children lacking permanent legal status would still be allowed to attend public school, though each district would be required to inform the state education department how many students enrolled were unable to verify citizenship or legal residency.
The law now awaits approval from the state Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Local representatives such as Rep. Annie Menz (D-Norman) and Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman told OU Daily that allowing ICE raids in schools is immoral.
“ICE agents going into our schools and taking children out of the schools, … it's unconscionable to me. There's no humanity in that. I don't see how anybody could possibly think that's okay. It doesn't make us safer at all. It makes us less safe as a community, if that's happening,” Holman said.
Menz told OU Daily that people lacking permanent legal status participated in voucher programs promoted by state officials, which she said her colleagues had no issue with.
“When it came to taking public money and putting it in private schools, my Republican colleagues had no problem with undocumented people using these vouchers, but now we have a problem with undocumented kids going to school, and they're encouraging these ICE raids,” Menz said. “It's immoral, and it's reprehensible.”
Migliorino said he, alongside other district leaders, are consulting with legal advisers and other community leaders to prepare themselves for executive orders that might affect NPS.
“I am committed to ensuring that Norman Public Schools remains a safe, healthy, and inclusive environment for all students, their families, and our staff members,” Migliorino wrote. “As we navigate the implications of these executive orders, I will continue to provide updates and keep you informed about how they may impact us.”
Walters was not alone in his support for Trump’s immigration policy, his interview with KOCO aired the same day Stitt made a post on the social platform X, where he wrote Trump was using “every arm” of the U.S. government to secure the southern border.
Stitt’s stance was reiterated last Friday by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) in an interview with NewsNation.
“Our National Guard are chomping at the bit to help secure our southern border. The governor has already made this very clear. He's going to help the president however he needs to,” Mullin said.
A U.S. Department of Justice memo also sparked conversations surrounding immigration, stating that city and state officials who refuse to comply with carrying out Trump’s immigration policy would be prosecuted.
According to the Norman Police Department handbook, generally, officers “should not notify federal immigration officials when booking arrestees at a jail facility.” Instead, required notification is to be handled according to jail operation procedures. The handbook also reads that no individual ready to be released should remain in detention solely for the purpose of notifying immigration officials.
OU Daily contacted Sarah Schettler, NPD public information officer, three times for a statement on how Trump’s memo might affect NPD policy but received no response by the time of publication.
Subsequently, OU Daily reached out to OU Police Department to ask how these immigration policies might affect its current operations, to which they redirected OU Daily to OU Marketing and Communications.
When asked if the university could comment and provide sources on the matter of potential ICE raids on campus, or potential changes in OUPD conduct, OU Marketing and Communications forwarded OU Daily several services, such as OU University Counseling Center, TELUS Health Student Support and OU Immigration Services.
OU Marketing and Communications denied answering OU Daily’s questions regarding potential changes to OUPD conduct.
According to the OUPD handbook, in order to encourage crime reporting and cooperation in criminal investigations, all individuals must “feel secure” in contacting or being addressed by law enforcement regardless of their immigration status. The handbook also reads that individuals may not be treated in any way that would violate U.S. or Oklahoma constitutions.
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. told OU Daily after Thursday's OU Board of Regents meeting that he’s expecting changes to come but is unsure as to what specifically might happen.
“I think we're all adapting and moving. We know there's going to be dramatic change in lots of areas, and so like most people, we'll see what comes out. I don't know what will change. I know there will be lots of change in lots of places,” Harroz said. “I’m just not sure what it is.”
When asked on the idea of state and city officials being prosecuted for not complying with new immigration policies, Holman said that he was not only unafraid but said such a thing “would not work.”
“Our local services, our police, our emergency response, their job is not to enforce federal immigration law, and they have made clear the police department has before in the past when this has come up that, ‘We want you to feel safe calling us if you need help, and if there is crime happening, if you are a victim of crime, we want you to feel safe calling us, regardless of your immigration or status as a citizen,’” Holman said.
Both Holman and Menz shared the belief that Oklahoma representatives are not prioritizing issues affecting Oklahoma residents.
“It doesn't seem to solve any kind of issue, and a lot of our economy, nationally and locally, is built off of immigrants coming to the United States searching for a better life,” Holman said. “Many of them are fleeing violence in other countries and/or natural disasters and things like this. And we know that American citizens, if faced with the same thing, would do anything to save their family or protect their kids,” Holman said.
Menz said she is more concerned with how residents will be affected by ACCESS Oklahoma, a 15-year, $8 billion plan to develop new turnpikes and expand existing highways across the state.
“I also have hundreds of families under threat of losing their homes to a turnpike that nobody wants, so where’s our state government leaders with that fight?” Menz said. “I can't be the only one single handedly fighting against this turnpike. If the other state leaders really care about the lives of Oklahomans. These are the things that they would talk about more,”
Holman said he doesn’t know anybody in Oklahoma or Norman that says immigration is impacting their daily lives. Instead, Holman believes there should be greater emphasis on fixing education, poverty, homelessness and mental illness.
“Those are the things that impact everyday people, and I think that's what most people are most concerned about. So I'd love to see the federal and state government focus on those issues and try to improve the lives of our residents,” Holman said.
According to Holman, his top priority is to protect the Norman community and represent its residents, regardless of where they come from.
Similarly, in another email to OU Daily from Scott, Migliorino assured the NPS community they would continue to welcome students regardless of immigration status.
"I want to reiterate that Norman Public Schools will continue to welcome and accept any student who walks through our doors, regardless of immigration status. We are here to educate and care for our students, and that’s what we will continue to do," Migliorino wrote.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza and Anusha Fathepure. Ryan Little, Grace Rhodes and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
