Operation Guardian: Oklahoma's Initiative to Enhance Public Safety and Address Undocumented Offenders
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, in collaboration with ICE agents, conducted an operation at a port of entry near the Texas border, resulting in the arrest of 120 illegal immigrants. This initiative, known as Operation Guardian, was initiated by Gov. Kevin Stitt in partnership with Oklahoma’s Department of Public Safety.
The operation targeted individuals with unverifiable licenses driving 80,000-pound 18-wheelers along Interstate 40. Out of over 500 encounters, 120 individuals were handed over to ICE for further action.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton expressed concern over the alarming findings, emphasizing the safety risks posed by individuals with expired or improperly identified licenses operating commercial vehicles.
Oklahoma's Operation Guardian aims to address the presence of approximately 525 undocumented offenders in state prisons, with a daily cost of $36,000. The plan highlights the types of crimes committed by these offenders, with a significant percentage involving violent offenses against children, violent assaults, homicides, and sex crimes.
Governor Stitt emphasized the importance of swiftly transferring undocumented offenders from state and county custody to federal deportation proceedings. The operation seeks to address what Stitt perceives as years of federal negligence in dealing with criminal illegal migrants.
The plan includes provisions to expand ICE agreements, allowing state and local officers to detain and transfer offenders, as well as enabling parole boards to send noncitizen inmates directly to federal custody if deportation orders are in place. Additionally, a Rapid REPAT program will facilitate the deportation process for eligible inmates.
Operation Guardian is not solely about immigration policy but also about safeguarding families on Oklahoma's roads and in its communities. Tipton underscored the significance of the operation in addressing the threat posed by criminal illegal aliens to the state's citizens.
In conclusion, Operation Guardian represents Oklahoma's proactive approach to addressing the presence of undocumented offenders and enhancing public safety by collaborating with federal agencies to enforce immigration laws and protect communities.