The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has expressed support for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in his appeal of a preliminary injunction against a state immigration reform law. According to the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General release, the DOJ sent a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, referencing President Trump's declaration of the situation at the southern border as an invasion, which could impact the court's view on House Bill 4156, temporarily blocked last June.
House Bill 4156 aims to strengthen Oklahoma’s control over illegal immigration by granting local authorities the power to detain and potentially imprison illegal immigrants involved in illicit marijuana farms. The law was halted by the courts following the Biden Administration’s DOJ opposition, leading to a legal dispute that Drummond is now appealing, with support from the recent DOJ letter.
In the same release, Drummond said, "President Trump is committed to securing the border and enforcing immigration laws, which is a welcome change from the Biden Administration’s open-border policy." He added, “The nation’s porous border under the Biden Administration posed a direct threat to public safety in Oklahoma, so we acted to protect our people. The recent letter from the Justice Department makes clear that our position is correct, and I am encouraged that soon we will be able to enforce HB 4156. This law is critical in our efforts to stamp out the pestilence of illegal marijuana grows and their associated criminal activities."
