OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Hundreds gathered outside the Oliver Hodge Building to peacefully protest a proposed rule change from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). Students from U.S. Grant and Capitol Hill High Schools organized the rally to vocalize their disapproval of a rule that they believe would make schools less safe for immigrant children.
The rule would require parents to disclose proof of citizenship or legal immigration status during enrollment. State Superintendent Ryan Walters has long supported President Trump’s anti-immigration actions and says that the proposed rule would help the current administration enforce those actions. “When we pass this rule schools will comply,” said Walters in a KOCO interview. “They don’t get to pick and choose what laws they go by.”
Only one week into his second term, Trump has swiftly moved to crack down on illegal immigration. “We are tracking down the illegal alien criminals and we are detaining them and throwing them the hell out of our country,” Trump said Monday night. “We have no apologies and we’re moving forward very fast.”
During Tuesday’s OSDE meeting, Walters stated that the rule is to aid in data and information gathering. He also expressed that having records of student’s immigration status will help ensure there are adequate personnel resources for programs such as tutoring. However, when asked if data collected will be shared with outside agencies Walters stated, “We will work with law enforcement.” He continues, “If a law enforcement officer comes in and asks for information we are legally required to give that information over.”
Students rally outside OSDE Tuesday
Outside the building, Oklahoma students could be heard chanting, “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go.” Hundreds of students, parents, teachers and allies huddled together carrying signs that read, “Families don’t have borders,” and “Mi papa trabaja mas duro que tu presidente.”
Student organizers took turns sharing their concerns in the form of speeches and poems.
“The purpose of this demonstration is to hear from the experiences of students who are and will continue to be impacted by the policies and rules that will be voted on today and in the future,” one student stated. “The anti-immigrant, transphobic and xenophobic rhetoric that has been spewed impacts their safety, mental health, learning and livelihood.”
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OSDE meeting outcome and constitutionality
The state legislature and governor must approve the proposed rules before they can take effect. If successful, many believe it would violate a Supreme Court ruling from 1982.
In Plyler v Doe the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment protects undocumented children and their right to an education.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the board voted unanimously to adopt the proposition.
If the rule is adopted by the state, parents would need to prove a child’s immigration status by providing one of the following:
- Certified U.S. birth certificate
- A valid, unexpired U.S. Passport
- A valid Oklahoma Driver’s License, originally issued after Nov. 1, 2007
- A valid Oklahoma Identification Card, originally issued after Nov. 1, 2007
- A Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Unexpired Permanent Resident Card
- Unexpired Employment Authorization Card
- A valid, unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and valid I-94 issued by DHS.
Know your rights
If you or someone you know is stopped by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) you are entitled to deny speaking with them. You also have the right, protected by the Fourth Amendment, to deny entry into your home and refuse searches of your belongings.
The following is information provided in Spanish by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. If you are stopped by ICE you have the right to:
- No abra la puerta si un agente de immigración está tocando la puerta.
- No conteste ninguna pregunta de un agente immigración si el trata hablar con usted. Usted tiene el derecho de mantenerse callado.
- No firme nada sin antes hablar con un abogado. Usted tiene el derecho de hablar con un abogado.
- Si usted está afuera de su casa, pregunte al agente si es libre para irse y si dice que sí, váyase con tranquilidad.
The ACLU of Oklahoma offers additional resources to help you understand your rights.
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