Fines For Immigration Violations Rare In Oklahoma

Associated Press

TULSA, Oklahoma – Since 2005, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have cited two Oklahoma businesses for violating immigration laws, a number an immigration attorney calls "extraordinarily low."

The federal agency released the information after a Freedom of Information request by the Tulsa World. ICE says an Oklahoma City Chinese restaurant and a Minco metal fabricator were cited and fined a total of about $5,400.

Oklahoma City attorney Doug Stump, the vice president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, says he doubts the accuracy of ICE's response. Stump says if that number were true, "it would be extraordinarily low."

ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok says the agency's enforcement efforts "often involve long and careful investigative work into allegations of crimes" and says ICE "uses all available criminal and civil tools at its disposal."