Federal judge temporarily blocks Oklahoma from enforcing new anti-immigration law

OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal judge on Friday granted a request to temporarily block Oklahoma from enforcing its new anti-immigration law that would make it a crime to live in the state without legal immigration status.

U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones issued a preliminary injunction requested by the U.S. Department of Justice, which is to take effect while the lawsuit challenging it continues. The law should have come into force on Monday.

The lawsuit in federal court in Oklahoma City challenges the measure, which makes it a state crime — punishable by up to two years in prison — to live in Oklahoma without legal immigration status. Similar laws in Texas and Iowa also face challenges from the Justice Department.

The Justice Department says Oklahoma’s law violates the U.S. Constitution and is asking the court to declare it invalid and prohibit the state from enforcing it.

The judge’s order Friday said Oklahoma “may be understandably frustrated by the problems caused by illegal immigration,” but that “the state cannot pursue policies that undermine federal law.”

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the ruling was disappointing and said the law was necessary because the Biden administration was failing to secure the nation’s borders.

“We intend to appeal today’s decision and defend one of the most powerful tools we have,” Drummond said.

Noor Zafar, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrant Rights Project, called the law harmful and said in a statement that it threatened to tear apart Oklahoma families and communities.

“The court was right to block it,” Zafar said. “This decision is a victory.”