Oklahoma City cannot adopt sanctuary policies because Oklahoma Statute 51-258, combined with the 2007 Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act HB 1804, requires local cooperation with federal immigration authorities and bars limiting ICE detainer responses.
Oklahoma's HB 1804 from 2007 was among the strictest state immigration enforcement laws in the nation, criminalizing harboring undocumented immigrants and requiring E-Verify for state contractors. OK §51-258 further prohibits local governments from adopting sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. OKCPD honors ICE detainer requests at the Oklahoma County Jail and shares arrestee information through Secure Communities. Oklahoma City has not declared welcoming or sanctuary status. The city does provide multilingual services and funds a non-immigration-enforcement community policing approach.
Local officials violating the sanctuary prohibition face removal from office, civil penalties, and loss of state grants under OK §51-258.
See how Oklahoma City's sanctuary policy preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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