Category: Oklahoma
Broken Arrow says no: Residents thwart massive mosque complex proposed in Oklahoma
In a highly anticipated city council meeting in a city in Oklahoma, residents debated whether to allow a massive mosque complex in a high-traffic area.
And on Monday night, the city council came to a decision.
The project included plans for a 42,000-square-foot community center, a mosque, a medical clinic, and a strip mall.
The Broken Arrow City Council has denied a rezoning request and conditional use permit for the proposed building project, leaving many residents relieved and others frustrated, KTUL reported.
The city council held a special meeting on Monday at Northeastern State University in anticipation of larger crowds.
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Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images
In the meeting that lasted more than three hours, residents debated the feasibility and desirability of having the building project completed.
While some raised objections about the growth of Islam in their city, many at the meeting turned to other practical concerns, such as traffic congestion, financial implications, and stormwater and floodplain issues, to name a few.
The Tulsa Flyer reported that roughly 45 people spoke during the meeting. More than half were opposed to the project.
The project included plans for a 42,000-square-foot community center, a mosque, a medical clinic, and a strip mall, the Tulsa Flyer reported.
According to the Tulsa Flyer, the Islamic Society of Tulsa bought the land in question and has owned it since 2014. The IST has historically congregated in that area for nearly 50 years.
The meeting ended in a 4-1 vote against the project.
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Oklahoma ICE sting busts 34 illegal alien truck drivers, others with rap sheets
An immigration enforcement operation in Oklahoma resulted in dozens of arrests, including 34 illegal alien truck drivers, according to ICE.
‘To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English.’
The arrests announced earlier this week come amid concerns about road safety and national security related to an influx of foreign drivers entering the American trucking industry following the Biden administration’s open-border policies. These concerns have intensified following several recent fatal crashes involving illegal alien truck drivers.
Operation Guardian, a two-day sweep along the I-40 eastern corridor in late October, led to the arrests of 70 illegal aliens. Among those detained were 26 individuals with CDLs and eight others who were operating commercial vehicles without valid licenses, ICE stated.
The operation involved ICE and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, as part of a 287(g) partnership. The agreement allows OHP troopers to enforce immigration violations.
“For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma’s highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver’s license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey,” stated Marcos Charles, the executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Many of those arrested who were operating commercial vehicles were not in compliance with English proficiency requirements, according to Charles.
Photo by John Moore/Getty Images
Of the 70 illegal aliens nabbed by immigration officials, 36 reportedly had a prior criminal history with offenses that included assault and battery, soliciting prostitution, and DUI. Two illegal aliens were wanted overseas for fraud and burglary.
Those arrested originated from 15 different countries, including China, Colombia, Georgia, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.
A similar September raid in Oklahoma resulted in the arrests of 120 illegal aliens, including 91 who were operating commercial vehicles.
Photographer: David Peinado/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Oklahoma’s Department of Public Safety stated that the CDLs were issued to the illegal aliens by the following states: California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, and New York.
“Operation Guardian continues to successfully keep Oklahomans safe,” Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said. “To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English. These are commonsense standards that we will continue to enforce.”
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