Oklahoma's Own In Focus: Operation Guardian, Immigration

Deportation Plan Details

Governor Kevin Stitt is introducing Operation Guardian, a new initiative focused on deporting incarcerated illegal immigrants in Oklahoma. The plan emphasizes nonviolent offenders and aims to enhance public safety while reducing the financial strain on state resources.

Tim Tipton, Oklahoma's Public Safety Commissioner, outlined the goals:

1. Coordinate efforts between municipal, state, and federal levels.
2. Ensure public safety and fiscal responsibility.
3. Develop a detailed deportation process by January, aligned with federal strategies.

“Oklahoma is in a unique position,” Tipton said, citing proximity to the southern border, a robust interstate system, and the legalization of medical marijuana as factors contributing to increased illegal immigration.

Costs and Concerns

According to Governor Stitt, the Department of Corrections currently houses 526 illegal immigrants, costing taxpayers approximately $36,000 daily in food, clothing, and other operational expenses. “We need to make it as quick a process as possible and reduce that cost, and the drain on manpower from the law enforcement side,” Stitt said.

Melissa Lujan, an immigration attorney, expressed concerns about potential unintended consequences.

“Is this an incentive for criminals to come to Oklahoma and commit crimes? Because they know the worst thing that happens to me is I get a 10-year prison sentence but then I immediately get deported. What is the disincentive?”

She also questioned the effectiveness of deporting individuals without enforcing sentences in their home countries.

Tipton assured that each case would be thoroughly vetted, ensuring justice has been served before deportation.

Legislative and Federal Support

Operation Guardian is not Oklahoma’s first attempt to address illegal immigration. Previous efforts include:

1. House Bill 4156 (2024): Creates the crime of "impermissible occupation," penalizing unauthorized immigrants and requiring them to leave the state within 72 hours.
2. Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Act (2007): Makes it a felony to harbor, shelter, or transport unauthorized immigrants.

Both laws faced legal challenges but highlighted the state’s longstanding efforts.

The federal government helps offset costs associated with deportation, which Tipton says reduces the financial burden on Oklahoma taxpayers.

Education Costs

The state is also seeking federal assistance to cover the costs of educating undocumented immigrants. Superintendent Ryan Walters has renewed a request for $474 million in federal funding, which he says represents the annual cost to Oklahoma taxpayers.

Governor Stitt and state officials remain hopeful for federal collaboration on both deportation and education funding.

OSDE Seeks $474 Million From Federal Government To Cover Education Costs Of Undocumented Students

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters is requesting $474 million from the federal government, which he says reflects the cost of educating undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma’s public schools. Citing data from several national sources, Walters argues that the influx of migrant students strains state resources and taxpayer dollars.

“One of the biggest problems facing Oklahoma — or schools across the country, frankly — is illegal immigrants coming across the border, tapping the resources of taxpayers and stretching everything thin,” Walters said.

A recent social media post by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) outlined the figures behind the request:

1. From 2021 to 2023, Oklahoma received 3,000 unaccompanied migrant children, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2. The state currently has over 6,000 students with limited English proficiency, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics.
3. The estimated cost of educating undocumented students, at $474.9 million, was calculated based on data from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a D.C.-based lobbying organization.

Some Oklahoma lawmakers question the reliability of these national figures. Rep. Cyndi Munson, (D-OKC), urged Walters to prioritize state-specific data.

“The state superintendent should be using state resources, and he should have staff within his agency that is pulling together the most accurate data when it comes to educating our kids,” Munson said.

Walters contends that due to limited federal data, he used state-level information where possible to verify national estimates. “We went and looked at students who did not have a country of origin that they would say, spoke English as a second language, and moved here within the year,” he said.

Munson criticized the approach as “attacking children instead of protecting them, instead of supporting them, instead of educating them.”

The federal government has not yet responded to the request. Under a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, all children, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to a free public education.