Challenge Filed To House Bill 1804

There are developments in the fight to stop Oklahoma's new immigration law. The National Coalition of Latino Clergy filed a federal lawsuit on Monday to stop House Bill 1804 from going into effect next month. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the new immigration law. That new law makes it illegal to transport or house illegal immigrants. It also blocks illegal immigrants from getting jobs and public benefits.

Leaders with the National Coalition of Latino Clergy call the law racist. They believe it targets Latinos in Oklahoma.

Those leaders had strong words for the people behind the immigration law and the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.

"The sheriff of Tulsa County is guilty of ethnic cleansing and I can tell you very clear, that we will continue pursuing to find the reasons why these people have committed these atrocities against our Latino community," said Rev. Miguel Rivera with the National Coalition of Latino Clergy.

The law is supposed to go into effect November 1, 2007.

Coalition members hope to have their case before a judge before the law takes effect.

Originally aired 10/15/2007 4:36 PM - Updated 10/16/2007 10:55 AM