Proposed Oklahoma law would make state to report non-citizens who apply for benefits

+ Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions The Best Music of 2025 Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Planet Money Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions The Best Music of 2025 About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics Proposed Oklahoma law would make state to report non-citizens who apply for benefits Oklahoma lawmakers say that at the urging of White House advisor Stephen Miller, they're going to require the state to report to ICE people without legal immigration status who apply for benefits like food assistance or health care - even for their eligible children. National Proposed Oklahoma law would make state to report non-citizens who apply for benefits April 2, 20264:41 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition From By Lionel Ramos Proposed Oklahoma law would make state to report non-citizens who apply for benefits Listen &middot; 3:32 3:32 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed "> <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5739365/nx-s1-9713710" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript Oklahoma lawmakers say that at the urging of White House advisor Stephen Miller, they're going to require the state to report to ICE people without legal immigration status who apply for benefits like food assistance or health care - even for their eligible children. Sponsor Message A MARTÍNEZ, HOST: The White House has been demanding that states cooperate with ICE and border agents. It's also been pressuring state lawmakers to create new ways to track people without legal documentation. In Oklahoma, that could lead to new requirements for state employees to verify applicants for food aid and other benefits and also to report people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. Here's Lionel Ramos of member station KOSU.

+ LIONEL RAMOS, BYLINE: Last fall, Oklahoma lawmakers, along with fellow Republicans from around the country, met with White House officials to talk about tracking people without legal immigration status who are using federal welfare benefits. Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert was among them and later told reporters about two bills he sponsored that could assist with deportations. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) KYLE HILBERT: So if you're here and you're not an American citizen and you're still going to apply to be the recipient of taxpayer-funded welfare, then that's a risk that you take. RAMOS: Hilbert's proposals would require state workers to verify the immigration status of people applying for federal food assistance and health care coverage and report those unlawfully in the country to federal immigration enforcement authorities. It's unclear exactly who may be reported to law enforcement, based on the language in Hilbert's bills. People in the country without permission already can't access federal benefits. Hilbert also said there was another meeting in D.C. in December, where White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller followed up on some of the ideas. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) HILBERT: That was the genesis of the legislation that I filed, and then ultimately had conversations to craft the legislation in a way that worked for Oklahoma. RAMOS: In an emailed statement, White House officials confirmed the administration has been talking to state lawmakers about how to protect the American people from fraud and abuse. Advocates for immigrants say it's already rare for people without documentation to apply for benefits, but Oklahoma is among a handful of states implementing suggestions coming from Miller and the Trump administration. Tennessee Republicans said they're hoping to pass such legislation suggested by Miller, and lawmakers in Iowa and Kentucky are considering measures with similar language about welfare. SHELBY GONZALES: We have seen a trend of these state bills that aim to weaponize information collected from public benefits programs for immigration enforcement, and these are really bills that are seeking to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment. RAMOS: That's immigration policy analyst Shelby Gonzales with the Washington-based, left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, or CBPP. Gabriela Ramirez-Perez analyzes immigration laws for the Oklahoma Policy Institute, a local partner of the CBPP. She says the strategy of creating a patchwork of laws nationwide works to foment fear and confusion. GABRIELA RAMIREZ-PEREZ: Meaning that Oklahomans who are going through a rough patch might go hungry or might forego an important doctor's visits out of fear that it will expose them or a family member to ICE. RAMOS: Democrat Arturo Alonso-Sandoval is one of the three Latinos in the Oklahoma Legislature. He says Republicans have strayed from their promise to focus deportations on violent criminals. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) ARTURO ALONSO-SANDOVAL: When it comes to really targeting those that are doing bad that aren't U.S. citizens, that isn't an argument. Today, we're not talking about the criminals. We're talking about kids that are hungry and sick. RAMOS: Some worry the bills could impact parents in the country without lawful immigration status who apply for benefits on behalf of U.S. citizen children, who are legally entitled to receive them. The bills passed the Oklahoma House and are coming up for hearings in the state Senate. For NPR News, I'm Lionel Ramos in Oklahoma City. (SOUNDBITE OF THE HONEY DEWDROPS' "REMINGTON") Copyright &copy; 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. 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