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About HB 1804
House Bill 1804, most of which went into effect Nov. 1, ends most state benefits for illegal immigrants, makes it a felony to harbor or transport someone not here legally and will punish employers who hire undocumented workers.
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Staff Reports
Some members of Oklahoma's faith community continue to voice their opposition to the state's new immigration reform law.
The Rev. Lance Schmitz, a social justice minister with Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene, said more signed copies of a Pledge of Resistance are to be delivered to Gov. Brad Henry's office at noon Monday.
Schmitz co-wrote the pledge with Rex Friend, a Quaker and immigration attorney, as a way for faith community clergy and lay leaders to express their opposition to the law, which went into effect Nov. 1.
The pledge was adopted by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, whose leaders presented signed copies to Henry's office in the days before House Bill 1804 became law.
No other option
More than 1,000 members of the heavily Hispanic Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oklahoma City signed copies of the pledge.
Schmitz said Monday's presentation is an effort "by people of faith and conscience to continue to shed light on this law.”
He said the signed pledges come from various faith communities in Oklahoma and include a wide variety of Christian traditions as well as other religious faiths, including Judaism and Buddhism.
"We regret and grieve the direction that Oklahoma has taken with the advent of this immigration law,” Schmitz said in a prepared statement. "This law leaves us no other acceptable option in light of our faith, conscience and deepest values but to practice divine obedience to the higher law of love.”
Schmitz said clergy and laity are invited to meet on the state Capitol's south pavilion at 11:45 a.m. Monday before the signed pledges are presented.
