President Biden’s Plan To Block Deportations For 100 Days Could Impact Tulsa Co. Jail

Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado said he’s concerned President Joe Biden’s plan to ban deportations for 100 days will impact Tulsans’ safety, but there are others who support the new order and believe it will help keep families together.

Records show there were around 50 people who were held in the Tulsa county jail over the past year, who were arrested for crimes and were also in this country illegally. These crimes range from assault to domestic violence to trafficking children.

The Sheriff said with a ban, a lot of these people would be released back onto the streets. Regalado said there is nobody currently in the jail held for immigration.

"It is not anti-immigration, it is anti-criminal,” said Regalado.

The Tulsa County Jail has been a holding facility for about 14 years for suspected and convicted criminals, who are also here illegally. Normally, if someone here illegally is arrested for a crime, they face that charge in court firs, then are handed over to immigration.

Regalado said the ban means his office would release them.

"If an individual is here illegally, gets arrested for rape, and doesn't have that aggravated felony criminal history, then they are afforded a bond, and I can assure they won't return to face charges,” said Regalado.

Regalado said he fully supports immigration, when it is done the right way. He said allowing criminals to stay, is not the right way.

Those who support Biden's ban say it isn't fair for undocumented citizens to be held in jail for only committing minor crimes.

"For a lot of families this is huge. It's big news that we are going to be able to live freely, without that constant danger of being apprehended or being deported for small things,” said Amairani Perez with Dream Action Tulsa.

"Lumping that group under the umbrella of immigration is not right, is not factual. The individuals that we were holding here are wanted for human trafficking, drug trafficking, murder, shooting with intent to kill, various serious crimes,” said Regalado.

Regaldo said right now they have no one in the jail being held for immigration.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Biden's ban.