Oklahoma
Is Oklahoma's Department of Public Safety ready to roll out Operation Guardian?
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety released a progress report on its goal to implement “Operation Guardian” — a plan to deport “criminal illegal aliens” from state and county jails.
2 News read the full 10-page report. Here’s what we found.
Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor Tim Tipton was charged with finding strategies to implement the plan by Governor Kevin Stitt in November 2024.
Local News
‘Operation Guardian’ | What it means for Oklahoma
The report outlines legal precedents allowing these deportations but said more is needed from the federal government before a full comprehensive plan can be made.
“In consultation with Governor Stitt, it seems clear a comprehensive plan cannot be completed and executed until President Trump’s cabinet and agency heads have an opportunity to implement President Trump’s executive orders and agenda concerning illegal immigrants,” Tipton said. “However, please accept this report on the findings and planning progress to date.”
How many illegal immigrants are in Oklahoma state prisons?
According to the report, 525 illegal immigrants are being held in ODOC prisons.
Of those 525, these are the crimes they’re being held for:
- 139 (27%) non-violent drug crimes,
- 11 (2%) non-violent property crimes,
- 103 (20%) violent assault crimes,
- 38 (7%) violent sex crimes,
- 159 (30%) violent crimes against children, and
- 75 (14%) violent crimes resulting in death.
The report also shared the nationality of those 525:
- 377 (72%) Mexico
- 40 (8%) Guatemala
- 35 (7%) Honduras
- 7 (1%) Vietnam
- 66 (12%) Other
What does the state plan to do about it?
Tipton outlines the first steps of the plan, which include:
- Identifying approaches to transferring criminal illegal aliens in ODOC to ICE custody for removal
- Identifying approaches to transferring criminal illegal aliens in county jails to ICE custody for removal
- Addressing criminal illegal aliens who have already been released from ODOC custody
- Identifying approaches for law enforcement officer contacts with criminal illegal aliens
- Identifying approaches to mitigate the risks faced by migrant juveniles who were
released at the border into the U.S. by the Biden-Harris administration
Is Operation Guardian legal?
Tipton and his team reviewed existing laws and said they found several legal approaches to take.
Oklahoma statutes allow for a few types of parole that would allow ICE to take custody of the inmates:
Removal Parole is allowed under Oklahoma Statute Title 57 for non-violent offenders who are not a U.S. citizen and have a final deportation order. Removal Parole requires three Pardon and Parole Board members to agree on their parole.
Administrative Parole, given under the same statute, allows parole for non-violent criminals who served at least a third or fourth of their sentence depending on when the crime was committed. Administrative Parole requires action by the Pardon and Parole Board. Offenders eligible for this type will be paroled from ODOC custody whether or not ICE take the offender.
If the offender is within six months of their discharge date, there must also be no objection from the victim or district attorney. If they are not within six months of discharge, there must be no objection and the offender must have complied with their ODOC case plan.
Traditional Discretionary Parole, under the same statute, is for offenders who have served a portion of their sentence and weren’t sentenced to life without parole. For both violent and non-violent offenders, parole is subject to the discretion of the Pardon and Parole Board and the Governor.
ICE Rapid REPAT (Removal of Eligible Parolees Accepted for Transfer) is authorized under federal andstate statutes. This method requires a US-issued deportation order, serving 1/3 of their sentence, and a non-85% crime conviction. The federal government would also require that the state request the removal in formal writing. The offender must waive all administrative and judicial appeals and agree to cooperate with ICE to facilitate the removal.
Oklahoma law, since 1996, directs the ODOC to “vigorously” pursue available mechanisms to support ICE in processing inmates for removal.
In addition to these, President Trump’s Executive Orders would likely expand the options available if implemented.
How much does this cost?
The report found it costs $36,000 a day in taxpayer funds to house those 525 people.
No information was given on how much Operation Guardian would cost to implement.
What about illegal immigrants in county jails?
Tipton says in the report, “There are likely hundreds more with ICE detainers (or who would qualify for ICE detainers) in county jails serving out a judgment and sentence for being held in pretrial detention.”
2 News has been tracking ICE holds in the Tulsa County Jail since Jan. 23 and has only seen two. At the time of publishing this article, the jail reports having zero ICE holds.
The Tulsa County Jail does have an agreement with ICE under the 287g program. Under this, ICE trained detention officers evaluate the citizenship of people booked into the jail.
If they determine that person is not here legally, ICE places a 287g hold on that inmate. Once that person has dealt with their state charges, they are turned over to ICE, a jail representative said.
The representative did clarify that the jail is not an ICE holding facility. Any illegal inmate booked must be picked up by ICE within 72 hours.
The report identified three other detention facilities with some form of agreement with ICE. Those are Okmulgee, Canadian and Kay counties.
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Kip Lewis returning for his redshirt senior season with the Oklahoma Sooners was one of the biggest wins of the offseason. Lewis has built an impressive career in Norman, racking up 209 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns.
Beyond his production, Lewis has become one of the emotional leaders of the Oklahoma locker room. Although the NFL was an option, Lewis believed another season learning under Brent Venables would put him in the best position for long-term success.
In a video shared by Oklahoma, Lewis explained the factors that led him to return to Norman for another season.
“I talked to a lot of people,” Lewis said. “Mostly, my family and then my dad. He was just giving me key points that he felt like I should have come back… Mostly talked to a couple of my teammates like John (Mateer) and Isaiah (Sategna), getting their thoughts on what their plan was. I asked Danny (Stutsman) for advice. Talked to him for a little bit. Advice from Danny really stood out to me.”
Getting advice from Stutsman likely played a significant role in Lewis’ decision. Stutsman was in a similar position following a strong 2023 season. Stutsman elected to return to Norman in 2024 and had another strong individual season. That resulted in him being taken in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Lewis’ decision to return gives Oklahoma one of the most experienced and talented linebackers in the country for another season. By following the same path as Stutsman, Lewis is betting on development and another opportunity to improve his draft stock.
If he continues to lead at the level he has throughout his career, his final season in Norman could be the one that cements him as one of the top defensive players in college football.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
TULSA, Okla — Tulsa has seen a boost in its food industry, thanks in part to a growing population.
Local News
Study shows Hispanic population boom boosting Tulsa economy
The Hispanic and Latino population has also contributed to the Oklahoma economy through restaurants, catering businesses, and food trucks.
According to a study conducted by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the number of Hispanic and Latino individuals who have gone into the state’s food service industry has grown by more than 12,000 between 2001 and 2021.
To help continue this growth, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation is starting up its “Lanzamiento Program” for Spanish speakers who are interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry.
Local News
Mother Road Market hosts program for Hispanic, Latino food entrepreneurs
The classes are held in partnership with Mother Road Market for 12 weeks.
Wendy Henriquez is the owner of Sugar Crave and completed the program back in 2024.
She said it was a huge help when it came to learning the ins and outs of the industry.
It also helped her that it was all in Spanish, the language she prefers.
“All of the classes were focused on the regulations here in the United States and Oklahoma needing to be met,” she said. “In every class, we had experts talk to us about things like taking out loans, insurance, credit.”
“Wow, I mean it isn’t easy, but it’s possible,” she said. “Perseverance is important.”
Abel Aguilar is the Program Manager in charge of the Lanzamiento course.
“We believe it’s important because not only do we have a strong population of both Hispanic and Latin entrepreneurs here in Tulsa, they may not know the resources that they have available to them,” he said.
While tuition doesn’t start off as being free of charge, there are financial assistance options to help.
We Street Credit Union has also pitched in to offer funds for financial assistance so some weight can be taken off of the participant.
Aguilar also said Lobeck Taylor will work something out if finances are the only obstacle to applying.
For others interested in other resources to help kickstart their business, Avanzando Juntos is also a non-profit organization that can help.
Primarily for Spanish speakers, Avanzando Juntos helps connect business owners with grants and funding that can help eliminate some of the costs that come with starting a business.
For those interested in applying to the “Lanzamiento” Program, you can visit the Kitchen 66 website for the application.
Isabel Flores is your North & East Tulsa reporter.
Is there something you think she should know about or look into?
You can email her at Isabel.Flores@kjrh.com.
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1. Death of inmate at Oklahoma County Detention Center under investigation
Oklahoma County Detention Center.
• 33-year-old Dancing Feathers Whitecrow found unresponsive
• Taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead
• Active investigation ongoing
Officials are investigating the death of an inmate at the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
Officers found 33-year-old Dancing Feathers Whitecrow unresponsive just before 7 p.m. Sunday. She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Whitecrow had been booked into the jail in April.
This remains an active investigation.
The Oklahoma County Criminal Investigations Division is investigating after Dancing Feathers Whitecrow, 33, died in custody.
2. Deadly hit-and-run in southwest Oklahoma City
• Pedestrian struck and killed near Southwest 61st and May
• Crash happened just before midnight
• No description of the vehicle yet
Oklahoma City Police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run that happened late Tuesday in southwest Oklahoma City.
One person was struck and killed by a vehicle near Southwest 61st and May just before midnight on Wednesday.
Police say they currently have no description of the vehicle involved.
3. Elderly Moore woman mauled to death by dog
• 86-year-old Beatrice Carruth found dead July 2nd
• Dog belonged to her son, who was previously arrested in a related incident
• Dog has been euthanized
An 86-year-old Moore woman was mauled to death in her home by her son’s dog.
Beatrice Carruth was found dead on July 2nd. Family members say the dog, a Labrador and American Pit Bull Terrier mix, had previously attacked her in May.
The dog was euthanized Monday.
The Moore Police Department arrived at the scene near Northeast 27th Street and Highland Drive to find a woman with severe injuries.
4. Cattle rescue after semi overturns on I-40 near Tinker
News 9
• Mayberry family from Oklahoma City Stockyards helped clear the scene
• 109 head of cattle in trailer; more than 80 survived
• Similar crashes have happened in recent years
A family of ranchers helped rescue cattle after a semi overturned on I-40 near Tinker Air Force Base.
The Mayberry family responded to the scene and worked to safely remove the animals. They say they’ve assisted with several similar crashes over the past four years.
A trailer carrying 62 head of cattle overturned Tuesday morning, leaving only a single westbound lane of I-40 open for hours as crews rescued trapped animals.
5. Attorney General Drummond sues Allstate over insurance practices
• Lawsuit accuses company of denying or underpaying wind and hail claims
• Alleges use of undisclosed restrictive standards
• Similar lawsuit previously filed against State Farm
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is suing Allstate, accusing the insurance company of running a scheme to deny or underpay wind and hail claims.
The lawsuit alleges Allstate used undisclosed restrictive standards to limit coverage for Oklahomans. Drummond says the company is putting profits ahead of policyholders.
A similar lawsuit was previously filed against State Farm.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Cleveland County District Court and alleges violations of state consumer protection and anti-racketeering laws.
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Editor’s note: We used AI tools to help with editing and formatting this story. A human journalist reviewed everything before publication.
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