Civil Rights Groups Challenge Oklahoma Immigration Law

Civil rights groups, including the ACLU, have renewed their lawsuit against Oklahoma's House Bill 4156, which was signed into law in 2024 and criminalizes undocumented immigrants by requiring them to leave the state within 72 hours of conviction. The law imposes penalties of up to a year in jail and a $500 fine for first-time violators, with repeat offenders facing harsher penalties and mandatory banishment. Plaintiffs argue the law is unconstitutional and infringes on federal immigration authority, posing risks to immigrant communities. Enforcement was previously paused by a federal judge but resumed after the U.S. Department of Justice dropped its challenge following the Trump administration's inauguration. Oklahoma officials, such as Attorney General Gentner Drummond, defend the law as a public safety measure. Civil rights groups are seeking a restraining order to halt enforcement as the federal court case continues.