Oklahoma City Hispanic neighborhood pushing on as immigration policies loom

Plans for a new community space in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood are intersecting with a rising culture of fear.

Wednesday, January 29th 2025, 11:11 pm

By: Matt McCabe


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A flurry of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump are taking shape across the country.

Among the orders, several are focused on immigration and the border. Agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security, have been directed to expand their efforts to remove people in the United States without legal status. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, posting daily updates to X, has made thousands of arrests since Trump retook office.

In Oklahoma City, communities are waiting to see how the newly fortified policies impact the area.

Two weeks ago, community leaders in the Capitol Hill District joined city leaders to break ground on the Plaza Calle Dos Cinco project, along 25th Street. The project is envisioned to be a community gathering place.

Now, Gloria Torres says she understands neighbors in the district may feel reservations about being seen in public.

"The world outside of us is going to directly impact our communities, no matter where we're at and no matter who that community may be," Torres said, who is also the executive director for Calle Dos Cinco. "And in our community, specifically Capitol Hill, we have a community that is predominantly Hispanic."

Oklahoma's state leaders have praised President Trump's border and immigration policies, with opposition from the state's Latino Caucus.

This week, Attorney General Gentner Drummond thanked Trump's Justice Department for writing a letter in support of Oklahoma's HB 4156, which had stalled in federal court over concerns of its constitutionality. Now, the Department of Justice is no longer expected to oppose the enforcement of the law, which authorizes Oklahoma law enforcement to remove undocumented people from the state. However, a preliminary injunction remains in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

"I do encourage everyone to continue to come out and do not let fear hold us back or change who we are or where we're trying to be," Torres said. Her group is still planning to support several annual events, including the Oklahoma Cine Latino Film Festival and Fiestas de las Américas.

She also credited Oklahoma City leaders, and the Oklahoma City Police Department for remaining engaged in how to best protect the Capitol Hill District community.

Construction on the plaza is expected to be finished in August, and Torres hopes the events held in the new space are well-attended by the community.

Matt McCabe

Matt McCabe joined the News 9 team in May of 2023 as a Multimedia Journalist. 

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