According to the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS), jurisdictions in 35 states have adopted “sanctuary” policies that effectively protect illegal immigrants from federal deportation efforts, but Oklahoma is not among those states.

That’s a notable change from recent years when some communities and/or counties in Oklahoma were identified as “sanctuary” locales.

The Department of Homeland Security list was published in compliance with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on April 28. An agency press release described the document as “a comprehensive list of sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens.”

According to the Department of Homeland Security, there are more than 200 sanctuary jurisdictions across the nation.

“These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “We are exposing these sanctuary politicians who harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy federal law. President Trump and I will always put the safety of the American people first. Sanctuary politicians are on notice: comply with federal law.”

The list initially posted by DHS included jurisdictions in 35 states and the District of Columbia. However, the list was later taken down after officials in some jurisdictions said it did not reflect current policies in those areas.

Even so, Oklahoma was not among the states initially identified as being home to sanctuary cities or counties by DHS, and neither were several states that border Oklahoma, such as Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri.

Oklahoma’s absence from the list is notable since Oklahoma County was identified as a sanctuary county as recently as February 2024 by the Center for Immigration Studies.

However, Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson quickly refuted the Center for Immigration Studies’ claim at that time, saying it was based on a 2019 policy carried out by Johnson’s predecessor.

“This is not a sanctuary county. We obey the law, and we enforce the law. And our citizens can rest assured on that,” Johnson told KFOR news in Oklahoma City in 2024.

The latest map posted by the Center for Immigration Studies does not identify any Oklahoma county or community as a sanctuary jurisdiction.

The fact that no community in Oklahoma has been identified as a sanctuary locale by federal officials may be tied in part to state legislation signed into law in 2024.

House Bill 4156 created the crime of impermissible occupation, which is defined as occurring when a person willfully and without permission enters and remains in the state of Oklahoma without having first obtained legal authorization to enter the United States.

Under the law, a first offense is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $500, and the individual is required to leave the state within 72 hours of release from custody and is prohibited from reentering Oklahoma thereafter.

A second or subsequent offense is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000, as well as being kicked out of the state.

The law also includes a preemption clause prohibiting municipalities from becoming “sanctuary cities.”

HB 4156 is currently being challenged in federal court, and a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction that blocks its enforcement.

[Photo courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security]