On Wednesday, February 05, 2025, Governor Kevin Stitt announced the implementation plan for Operation Guardian, a comprehensive deportation operation led by Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton.

“Former president Biden’s weak border policies allowed our country to become a safe haven for criminal illegal migrants – that ends in Oklahoma with Operation Guardian,” said Governor Stitt. “I’m grateful we have a President in the White House who is taking action where the former refused to. These dangerous illegal aliens should not be walking on our streets, and they soon won’t be. Oklahoma will continue to stand for law & order.”

Operation Guardian identifies multiple strategies to transfer illegal aliens from state and county custody into federal custody for deportation. The State will utilize existing state and federal law to transfer illegal alien offenders directly into deportation proceedings.

Operation Guardian will oversee new, expanded agreements with ICE to empower state and local law enforcement to detain and process illegal aliens for removal. The State will also target illegal alien offenders who have been released from custody to ensure they are deported and off Oklahoma streets.

Oklahoma taxpayers are currently paying approximately $36,000 per day to house 525 illegal aliens in state correctional facilities, majority of whom have committed violent crimes against children, sexual assaults, homicides, or other violent crimes. Of all the illegal aliens being held in Oklahoma’s correctional system, 72% are from Mexico, 8% are from Guatemala, 7% are from Honduras, 1% are from Vietnam, and 12% from other foreign nations. In addition to these known criminal illegal aliens, there are likely hundreds more with ICE detainers in county jails serving a sentence or being held in pre-trial detention.

“This plan ensures Oklahoma leads the nation in cracking down on illegal aliens who’ve committed crimes against our communities,” said Commissioner Tipton. “Operation Guardian is a direct response to the threat that these criminals pose to our citizens, and I join Governor Stitt in his commitment to protecting Oklahomans.”

Read the Operation Guardian implementation plan here.