On Monday, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law Senate Bill 1668, authored by Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow. This important legislation provides Oklahoma sheriffs with the authority to contract with private security firms to guard detainees or prisoners temporarily housed for treatment in medical facilities outside the confines of jail officials said in a release today.

“This bill is a critical step in maintaining the safety and security of our communities while ensuring that detainees and prisoners can receive necessary medical care,” Haste said. “By allowing sheriffs to contract with qualified private security firms, we can provide the necessary oversight and protection in medical facilities without overburdening our law enforcement officers.”

Two days after the Biden Administration sent a letter threatening to sue Oklahoma over its new immigration reform law, Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a sharply worded response vowing to defend the law he claimed today in a media release.

In a May 15 letter to Gov. Stitt and AG Drummond, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) threatened to challenge House Bill 4156 unless Oklahoma agrees not to enforce it, claiming the law is unconstitutional and preempted by federal statute.

“This letter constitutes notice … that the U.S. Department of Justice intends to bring a lawsuit to enforce the supremacy of federal law and to enjoin the enforcement of HB 4156,” stated the DOJ. “If you have not confirmed by May 20, 2024, that Oklahoma will forbear such enforcement, the United States will pursue all appropriate legal remedies to ensure that Oklahoma does not interfere with the function of the federal government.”