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Oklahoma’s Latino legislators lay out legislative focus

Oklahoma’s Latino legislators say they’re going to focus on separating fact from fiction and getting to work in this year’s new session

Oklahoma’s Latino legislators lay out legislative focus

Oklahoma’s Latino legislators say they’re going to focus on separating fact from fiction and getting to work in this year’s new session

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      THEM WHAT THEY’RE HEARING FROM MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THIS IS ONLY GOING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, BECAUSE WE’RE ALREADY SEEING PEOPLE THROUGH FEAR BECAUSE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY. NOT ENROLLING THEIR KIDS INTO SCHOOLS, WHICH ONLY ADDS TO MORE PROBLEMS. REPRESENTATIVE ARTURO ALONSO SANDOVAL AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE LATINO CAUCUS SAY THEY’LL FIGHT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S NEW RULE, REQUIRING PARENTS TO PROVIDE CITIZENSHIP STATUS TO ENROLL STUDENTS. THEY WORRY THE RULES WILL IMPACT ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOLS, SOMETHING THEY SAY THEY’RE ALREADY SEEING AT LOCAL BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN CONSTRUCTION, HOSPITALITY, FOOD SERVICE AND AGRICULTURE ARE SEEING LOWER ATTENDANCE AND A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN WORKERS SHOWING UP DUE TO CONCERN OVER ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. THIS HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. THEY SAY THE RUMORS OF ENHANCED ICE ENFORCEMENT IN OUR AREA JUST AREN’T CREDIBLE AT THIS POINT. THIS ISN’T REAL. THIS IS JUST SOMEONE WHO FANCIES THEMSELVES AS A CONTENT CREATOR, TRYING TO GET LIKES AND TRYING TO GET SHARES TO RAISE THEIR PROFILE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY’RE FOCUSED ON PUTTING AN END TO THIS FEAR, NOT JUST BY COMBATING THE MISINFORMATION, BUT BY HELPING OUT UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE. WE HAVE ORGANIZED HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL LEGAL CLINICS IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA, AND MANY OF THOSE CLINICS HOSTED UNDOCUMENTED PARENTS, MAKING SURE THERE’S A PLACE FOR THEIR CHILDREN IF THEY ARE DEPORTED
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      Oklahoma’s Latino legislators lay out legislative focus

      Oklahoma’s Latino legislators say they’re going to focus on separating fact from fiction and getting to work in this year’s new session

      Oklahoma’s Latino legislators say they’re going to focus on separating fact from fiction and getting to work in this year’s new session.>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelKOCO 5 spoke with legislators ahead of the session and asked what they are hearing from members of their community.“This is only gonna make things worse. We’re already seeing people because of fear and anxiety not enrolling their kids into schools, which only adds to more problems,” said state Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval.Alonso-Sandoval and other members of the legislative Latino Caucus said they’ll fight the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s new rule requiring parents to provide citizenship status to enroll students.They worry that the rules will impact attendance in schools, something they say they’re already seeing at local businesses.“Particular those in construction, hospitality, food service, and agriculture are seeing lower attendance and a significant drop in workers showing up due to concern over enforcement actions. This has real consequences for our local economy,” said state Sen. Michael Brooks.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.They said the rumors of enhanced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in our area just aren’t credible at this point.“This isn’t real this is just someone who fancies themselves as a content creator trying to get likes and trying to get shares to raise their profile on social media,” Brooks said.They’re focused on putting an end to this fear, not just by combating the misinformation, but by helping out undocumented people.“We have organized highly successful legal clinics in Oklahoma City and Tulsa,” said state Rep. Annie Menz.And many of those clinics hosted undocumented parents making sure there’s a place for their children if they are deported, complete with stand-in guardians.Top HeadlinesLaw enforcement investigation briefly shuts down part of northwest Oklahoma City roadSeveral schools across Oklahoma move to virtual learning due to high number of illnessesArizona dog owner reunited with his beloved pet 8 years after he went missing in OklahomaEdmond man arrested, charged in connection with child pornography investigationHow to watch Super Bowl 59

      Oklahoma’s Latino legislators say they’re going to focus on separating fact from fiction and getting to work in this year’s new session.

      >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel

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      KOCO 5 spoke with legislators ahead of the session and asked what they are hearing from members of their community.

      “This is only gonna make things worse. We’re already seeing people because of fear and anxiety not enrolling their kids into schools, which only adds to more problems,” said state Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval.

      Alonso-Sandoval and other members of the legislative Latino Caucus said they’ll fight the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s new rule requiring parents to provide citizenship status to enroll students.

      They worry that the rules will impact attendance in schools, something they say they’re already seeing at local businesses.

      “Particular those in construction, hospitality, food service, and agriculture are seeing lower attendance and a significant drop in workers showing up due to concern over enforcement actions. This has real consequences for our local economy,” said state Sen. Michael Brooks.

      Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.

      They said the rumors of enhanced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in our area just aren’t credible at this point.

      “This isn’t real this is just someone who fancies themselves as a content creator trying to get likes and trying to get shares to raise their profile on social media,” Brooks said.

      They’re focused on putting an end to this fear, not just by combating the misinformation, but by helping out undocumented people.

      “We have organized highly successful legal clinics in Oklahoma City and Tulsa,” said state Rep. Annie Menz.

      And many of those clinics hosted undocumented parents making sure there’s a place for their children if they are deported, complete with stand-in guardians.


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