HEAR THEIR CONCERNS. YEAH. THE CAUCUS SAYS IT’S MORE THAN JUST FEAR AND ANIMOSITY THAT THEY SEE INCREASING ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. IT’S ALSO AN INCREASE IN DEPORTATIONS, ALONG WITH JUST OVERALL MISINFORMATION, WITH WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON WITH THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS IN OKLAHOMA. THEY ALSO BROUGHT SOME PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY IN TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY’VE BEEN SEEING. WHILE THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA WAS FILLED WITH LATIN MUSIC, FOOD AND DIFFERENT DISPLAYS OF HERITAGE FOR THIS YEAR’S CULTURAL DAY WEDNESDAY, THERE’S A MORE SERIOUS UNDERTONE. WE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS. WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS. WE ARE YOUR COWORKERS. THE LATINO LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS SAYS THEY’VE SEEN FIRSTHAND WHAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY’VE BROUGHT PEOPLE LIKE CHRIS BREWSTER WITH SANTA FE SOUTH CHARTER SCHOOLS TO HELP EXPLAIN. A NEIGHBOR CAME TO PICK HIM UP, AND SHE SAID, MIJO, I HAVE TO TAKE YOU HOME BECAUSE YOUR MOM GOT PICKED UP BY THE AUTHORITIES. IT’S NOT JUST STUDENTS, FAMILIES. HE SAYS. STAFF MEMBERS HAVE ALSO HAD FAMILY MEMBERS DETAINED. LAWMAKERS SAY THE DEPORTATIONS COULD BE A RESULT OF HB 4156, WHICH MAKES IT A CRIME TO BE IN THE STATE UNDOCUMENTED. SENATOR BROOKS SAYS. BESIDES THE ABILITY TO REPEAL THAT, NUMBER ONE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SECURE THE BORDER. NUMBER TWO, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A WORKABLE GUEST WORKER PROGRAM FOR THOSE THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT NEED WORKERS. AND CIRCLING BACK TO THAT ROUNDTABLE THAT WE TOLD YOU ABOUT. SO IT WAS THE CAUCUS WAS THERE, AS WELL AS SOME BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN TOWN. AND GOVERNOR STITT, AND THEY SAY THAT GOVERNOR STITT ACTUALLY REASSURED THEM THAT KIDS IMMIGRATION STATUS WILL NOT BE REQUIRED ON SCHOO
Latino lawmakers sit down with Gov. Kevin Stitt about immigration issues
Gov. Kevin Stitt spent time at the table on Wednesday with Oklahoma’s Latino lawmakers, who brought up important immigration issues.
Gov. Kevin Stitt spent time at the table on Wednesday with Oklahoma’s Latino lawmakers, who brought up important immigration issues.WATCH: Civil rights groups teaming up to stop Oklahoma immigration law>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelIt’s more than just fear and animosity that’s growing, Latino lawmaker said they’ve seen an increase in deportations and misinformation with what’s actually going on, and they brought others from the community to talk about what they’ve seen, too.While the Capitol Rotunda was filled with Latin music, food and different displays of Heritage for this year’s Cultural Day on Wednesday, there’s a more serious undertone.“We are your neighbors. We are your friends. We are your coworkers,” said state Rep. Annie Menz.The Latino Legislative Caucus said they’ve seen firsthand what changes are happening in the community and they brought people like Chris Brewster, with Santa Fe South Charter Schools, to help explain.A neighbor came to pick him up, and she said, ‘Mijo, I have to take you home. Because your mom got picked up by the authorities,’” Brewster said.It’s not just students’ families, Brewster said, staff members have also had family members detained.Lawmakers say the deportations could be a result of House Bill 4156, which makes it a crime to be in the state undocumented.WATCH: OBN: Partnership with federal immigration officials will help close more illegal grow operations“No. 1, you have to be able to secure the border. No. 2, you need to be able to create a workable guest worker program for those industries that need workers,” said state Sen. Michael Brooks.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The group says Stitt reassured them on Wednesday that he will not allow children’s immigration status to be required upon school registration.WATCH: Rule to require students’ immigration status during enrollment faces pushbackTop HeadlinesPlane lands safely at OKC Will Rogers International Airport following tire concerns‘The babies are going to make it’: Mom of twins delivers early following cancer diagnosisSouthbound I-35 closed after vehicle goes off road and crashes into semi on highwaySearch underway for missing father and 14-year-old stepson last seen in Midwest CityOklahoma leaders plan for possibility of screwworms amid livestock import halt
Gov. Kevin Stitt spent time at the table on Wednesday with Oklahoma’s Latino lawmakers, who brought up important immigration issues.
WATCH: Civil rights groups teaming up to stop Oklahoma immigration law
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
It’s more than just fear and animosity that’s growing, Latino lawmaker said they’ve seen an increase in deportations and misinformation with what’s actually going on, and they brought others from the community to talk about what they’ve seen, too.
While the Capitol Rotunda was filled with Latin music, food and different displays of Heritage for this year’s Cultural Day on Wednesday, there’s a more serious undertone.
“We are your neighbors. We are your friends. We are your coworkers,” said state Rep. Annie Menz.
The Latino Legislative Caucus said they’ve seen firsthand what changes are happening in the community and they brought people like Chris Brewster, with Santa Fe South Charter Schools, to help explain.
A neighbor came to pick him up, and she said, ‘Mijo, I have to take you home. Because your mom got picked up by the authorities,’” Brewster said.
It’s not just students’ families, Brewster said, staff members have also had family members detained.
Lawmakers say the deportations could be a result of House Bill 4156, which makes it a crime to be in the state undocumented.
WATCH: OBN: Partnership with federal immigration officials will help close more illegal grow operations
“No. 1, you have to be able to secure the border. No. 2, you need to be able to create a workable guest worker program for those industries that need workers,” said state Sen. Michael Brooks.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The group says Stitt reassured them on Wednesday that he will not allow children’s immigration status to be required upon school registration.
WATCH: Rule to require students’ immigration status during enrollment faces pushback
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