Oklahoma Immigration Law Scares Employers

We have heard much lately — including on this blog — about the new Arizona employer sanctions law that went into effect on January 1.  Emily Bazar in USA Today discusses the new Oklahoma law, which in some ways is broader than a controversial Arizona law that suspends or revokes business licenses of employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants. Challenges to the law have been dismissed.  Among other things, the Oklahoma law makes it a felony to transport or shelter illegal immigrants and denies illegal immigrants driver’s licenses and public benefits such as rental assistance and fuel subsidies. Many business owners are especially nervous about provisions of teh law to go into effect on July 1, when employers with government contracts must start checking new hires against a federal database to make sure they are legally eligible to work.

KJ