Operation Guardian by the numbers: The breakdown of illegal immigrants in Oklahoma prisons

Gov. Kevin Stitt says Operation Guardian, an Oklahoma Department of Public Safety plan, would take illegal immigrants who are in state prisons and deport them as a way to save taxpayers money. But a Tulsa family says there's more at stake than tax money, and they don't think giving violent criminals a "get out of jail free card" is justice for the victims.

DPS says they're focused on handing over to immigration those currently in prison, those who've already served their time and were released, those currently serving time in county jails for minor crimes, and those who are committing crimes.

DPS broke down the numbers of how illegal immigrants impact Oklahoma:

525: The number of criminal illegal immigrants currently incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC). 150 of the 525 incarcerated illegal immigrants are non-violent offenders.

$36,000: The daily cost to Oklahoma taxpayers for housing illegal immigrants in state prisons.

99: The number of individuals on the terrorist watchlist reportedly released into U.S. communities nationwide.

1.9 million: The estimated number of known "gotaways" who have entered the U.S. without law enforcement detection.

30%: The percentage of incarcerated criminal illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes against children.

72%: The proportion of these offenders originating from Mexico, with others from Guatemala (8%), Honduras (7%), Vietnam (1%), and various other countries (12%).

27%: The percentage of offenders serving time for non-violent drug crimes.

14%: The share of offenders convicted of violent crimes resulting in death

The key legal programs leveraged by Operation Guardian, such as the ICE Rapid REPAT Program & 287(g) contracts, are designed to improve collaboration with federal immigration authorities.

How do impacted families of victims feel about Operation Guardian?

Michael Barr was killed in a car crash by a man in this country illegally in Tulsa in March of 2022, after that suspect had already committed another crime in 2017 and had been deported before. The victim's family wants that suspect to serve his full 37 year sentence.

"The ones in this situation where it's a very serious crime and a life is ended or someone's life has been altered because of it, they need to pay their crime before they go back," said Shea Barr, Michael's son.

Why does Gov. Kevin Stitt support this policy? 

Gov. Kevin Stitt says the Department of Public Safety is trying to balance safety and justice for victims. Governor Kevin Stitt, (R) Oklahoma, said, "I also am thinking about the tens of millions of dollars that Oklahoma taxpayers are spending incarcerating people that really shouldn't be in our state."