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Friday, Dec. 13, 2024

Are undocumented immigrants filling Oklahoma prisons?


no

Undocumented immigrants account for less than 2% of Oklahoma’s total prison population as of 2024.

According to Gov. Kevin Stitt, there are about 500 prisoners with undocumented status in the state. There are approximately 33,000 detainees held in federal, state, and local prisons and jails, according to spring 2024 data.

A significant body of research has indicated that undocumented immigrants are less likely to be incarcerated for crimes, with one analysis from the CATO Institute finding they were 37.1% less likely to be convicted than documented immigrants or citizens.

Recent studies have also found no correlation between an increase in undocumented immigrants and a rise in violent or property crime in the area.

Ed. note: This Fact Brief was updated on Dec. 19, 2024 to clarify detainee counts.

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