Forum On Immigration Reform Held

Immigration reform in Oklahoma is the focus of a forum in Tulsa on Sunday. City leaders and members of the community attended a forum on House Bill 1804 on Sunday at the Green Country Event Center, located at 12000 E. 31st Street.

Besides learning about the state legislation, service and construction leaders also weighed-in on how the law is effecting their industry. Some Tulsa homebuilders believe immigration enforcement is going to make an existing labor shortage even worse, with some area homebuilders say they're losing their immigrant workers, who are afraid of being deported.

Organizers of Sunday's forum hope it will help other states in their preference toward immigration legislation.

"This is going to be broadcast throughout the world," said Mike Feliciano of Redemptive Word Ministries. "We want people, leaders in the U.S. and abroad to see what's going on in Oklahoma. What the effect of this law is having, because this was called to be a model in other states."

House Bill 1804 will officially go into effect November 1, 2007. Among other things, the law will make it illegal to hire or harbor an undocumented worker. Besides struggling Hispanic businesses, Feliciano says worry over 1804 has also led to a shortage of construction workers, and caused his congregation to dwindle.

To read H.B. 1804, click here.

Originally aired 9/30/2007 8:10 PM - Updated 10/2/2007 11:57 AM