An Oklahoma City federal judge has issued a temporary two-week injunction stopping the enforcement of House Bill 4156, a state law that criminalizes immigrants living in Oklahoma without legal residency. The law, enacted last year, defines the offense as “impermissible occupation.”
Federal District Judge Bernard Jones issued the order on Tuesday, halting enforcement from June until March. This comes after President Donald Trump’s administration dropped a previous lawsuit filed by Democrats challenging the law. Two undocumented immigrants and two state organizations recently refiled the case, and Judge Jones found that their legal challenge is likely to succeed.
In his ruling, Jones reiterated that immigration control is exclusively a federal power, emphasizing that federal immigration law likely preempts state laws such as HB 4156. He wrote, “Based on the comprehensive and exhaustive immigration framework that Congress designed, the Court is left with one conclusion: H.B. 4156 must fail.”
The injunction blocking the law’s enforcement is effective until June 3 but may be extended.
The judge allowed the undocumented plaintiffs to proceed under pseudonyms and created two classes: an “Entry Class” for those who unlawfully entered the U.S. and a “Reentry Class” for those deported and returned.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond condemned the ruling as “outrageous” and insisted that HB 4156 is crucial to combating drug trafficking and other illegal activities. He vowed to explore all options to challenge the judge’s decision.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oklahoma, representing the plaintiffs, praised the ruling as a victory for immigrant rights but noted the law and related rhetoric have already created fear in the community. ACLU executive director Tamya Cox-Toure affirmed their commitment to defending the rights and dignity of immigrants and their families.
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