Oklahoma City, OK – The Oklahoma Democratic Party is sounding the alarm after State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a directive requiring public schools to verify the immigration status of students.

Alicia Andrews, Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, issued the following statement:

“This is a blatant, unconstitutional attack on children. Every student in Oklahoma—regardless of where they were born—deserves a quality education, free from fear and intimidation. This directive is not about improving our schools. It is a cruel political stunt designed to sow fear in our communities, targeting innocent children for the sake of an extremist agenda.”

Walters’ directive contradicts Plyler v. Doe, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that guarantees every child access to public education, regardless of immigration status. Civil rights organizations are already preparing legal challenges, and school districts are left scrambling to navigate the chaos.

“Let’s call this what it is—an attempt to turn our teachers into immigration officers and our schools into battlegrounds,” Andrews said. “This is not just an Oklahoma problem. This is a test run for extremist politicians across the country. If they succeed here, it will spread.”

The policy has sparked outrage among educators, parents, and community leaders, who say it will force children into the shadows and punish families for seeking an education.

“Superintendent Walters and the extremist politicians pushing this agenda should be ashamed,” Andrews continued. “They are gambling with our children’s futures, undermining our public schools, and inviting costly legal battles that will drain taxpayer dollars. This is not leadership—it’s cowardice.”

The Oklahoma Democratic Party is calling on voters, educators, and advocates nationwide to fight back before this policy spreads to other states.

“We will not stand by while Oklahoma students are used as political pawns. We will fight this in the courts, at the ballot box, and in communities across our state. But this isn’t just about Oklahoma—it’s about the future of public education in America. If we don’t stop this here, your state could be next.”