(The Center Square) - The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would make illegal immigration a state crime after a heated debate where one Democrat called the bill "extremist legislation."
House Bill 4156 makes “impermissible occupation” a criminal act, defined as a person willfully and without permission entering and remaining in Oklahoma without first obtaining legal authorization to enter the United States, according to the bill.
It passed its third reading by a 77-20 vote and now moves on to the Senate for consideration.
If signed into law, those living in Oklahoma as illegal immigrants would be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $500, or both.
