Oklahoma

Federal judge grants preliminary injunction halting controversial Oklahoma immigration law

Published

2 years ago

July 1, 2024

Federal judge grants preliminary injunction halting controversial Oklahoma immigration law

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — On Friday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction that puts a pause on House Bill 4156, a controversial law enabling Oklahoma law enforcement to arrest individuals on the basis of immigration status.

The new law, which was scheduled to go into effect on July 1, has been met with opposition from many different organizations, including The Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and Metro Law Enforcement Agency Leaders, and state legislators.

On May 15, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to Governor Kevin Stitt and Attorney General Gentner Drummond, threatening legal action if HB 4156 was enforced.

Drummond sent a letter in response, reaffirming the state’s intention to enforce the immigration law. As a result, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the state on May 21.

“Oklahoma may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration…but the State may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.’ Arizona, 567 U.S. at 416. Should more explicit guidance foreclose that conclusion, this Court will listen,” the conclusion of the preliminary injunction order says.

Drummond issued a statement on Friday afternoon expressing his disappointment in the ruling.

“While today’s court ruling is disappointing, I will not stop fighting for Oklahoma and our right to protect our borders,” Drummond said. “The Biden Administration’s complete failure to enforce federal immigration laws made House Bill 4156 a necessity. We intend to appeal today’s decision and defend one of the most powerful tools we have to fight the criminal activity largely being fueled by illegal aliens in Oklahoma.”

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Oklahoma

UCLA vs. Oklahoma State – Second round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Published

7 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

UCLA vs. Oklahoma State – Second round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Women’s Basketball

March 24, 2026

UCLA vs. Oklahoma State – Second round NCAA tournament extended highlights

March 24, 2026

Watch the highlights from No. 1 UCLA and No. 8 Oklahoma State’s matchup in the second round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament.

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Oklahoma

Fire in Oklahoma City scrapyard produces massive smoke plume visible from downtown

Published

19 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Fire in Oklahoma City scrapyard produces massive smoke plume visible from downtown

A fire at a scrapyard near the OKC Fairgrounds has produced a massive plume of smoke visible in downtown Oklahoma City, officials report.

Oklahoma City Fire Department Assistant PIO John Chenoweth told The Oklahoman that the fire started at the scrapyard building near Northwest 10th Street and May Avenue, northeast of the OKC Fairgrounds.

The fire has been marked as “basically contained” as the Oklahoma City Fire Department is currently shifting to defensive methods. There are some active rubbish fires surrounding the metal building.

Chenoweth states there are no injuries, and all inside the building have been evacuated.

The cause of the fire and the extent of damage are unknown.

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Oklahoma fire map: See smoke, wildfires across state, red flag warnings

Track the latest wildfire and smoke information in Oklahoma with data that is updated frequently based on input from several incident and intelligence sources.

If you can’t see the map below, please click here.

How to prevent wildfires

While severely warm weather can worsen a wildfire spread, most are the result of human behavior. In fact, nearly 85% of wildfires in the U.S. are caused by humans, according to the National Park Service.

With its wide acres, rural areas and inconsistent weather patterns, Oklahoma is prone to grass fires. Forestry and safety experts offer several guidelines for residents on how to avoid starting a fire, which can often breakout from just one wrong spark.

Avoid using welding equipment.
Never drive on a flat tire.
Extinguish cigarettes completely before properly disposing of them, and never throw them outside of a window while driving.
Avoid parking on dry grass or dragging chains behind your car.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma ranked in top 10 states attracting new residents, study says

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma ranked in top 10 states attracting new residents, study says

Oklahoma is in the top 10 states receiving new residents in the nation in recent years, a new survey suggests.

StorageCafe conducted a recent study utilizing U.S. Census data showing Oklahoma welcomed over 25,000 new residents in 2023, with millennials being the largest-represented generation among those entering the Sooner State.

Here’s what the study had to say about migration into Oklahoma.

Oklahoma among top 10 states to move to

According to StorageCafe, Oklahoma welcomed 25,000 new residents in 2023 in net migration.

New residents in Oklahoma were largely made up of millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, at 27%.

Though Oklahomans and Texans don’t seem to be eye to eye in the football arena, Texas is “by far the largest source” of new Oklahoma residents.

Among the major reasons for the increase in migrants is likely Oklahoma’s affordability, with 36% of millennials buying a home within their first year in Oklahoma.

In addition, Oklahomans found major success in recruiting former California and Colorado residents to move to the state, rounding out the top 3 states bringing new residents.