Over the past decade, attorneys general around the nation have seen an increase in their influence and importance to fight bad laws or to defend good ones. Under my administration, Oklahoma has had significant opportunities to challenge what had been federal overreach of the Biden Administration and to uphold the Trump Administration’s efforts to restore the rule of law. In so doing, our state has emerged as a national model for the rule of law, conservative values and commonsense policies.
I am especially proud of what my office accomplished for Oklahoma and the nation in 2025. We have left no stone unturned in our relentless endeavors for the people we serve, and as such, we have blazed a trail that can be followed by others in our state and across America.
Fighting Organized Crime
This fall, my office marked the two-year anniversary of my Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), a critical weapon in the battle against illegal marijuana operations, fentanyl distribution and other criminal enterprises. Since its inception, the task force has been instrumental in the closure of more than 7,000 illegal operations, resulting in the seizure of nearly 330,000 marijuana plants, 153,000 pounds of processed marijuana and 27,000 pounds of THC concentrate. Along the way, we have built a tremendous partnership with law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions. OCTF operations have resulted in dozens of arrests and many deportations of illegal aliens involved in black-market grows. These statistics are more than numbers. They represent communities protected, families kept safe and bad actors driven from our state.
Putting Dangerous Criminals Behind Bars
My office launched the Attorney General’s 10 Most Wanted list in late 2024 to highlight violent fugitives from the law and enlist the public’s help to bring them to justice. Since the program began, 17 individuals accused of crimes such as murder, rape and drug trafficking have been apprehended all across the nation, from California to New York and everywhere in between. Oklahoma fugitives have been given due notice: you can run, but you cannot hide from the long arm of justice.
Standing for Common Sense
My office is leading the fight to defend Oklahoma’s birth certificate law. In this case, we have firmly opposed any action that would force the state to falsify official records by changing documented biological facts to match a person’s preferred gender identity. Thankfully, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, withdrew an amicus brief from the Biden Administration that opposed our statute. We are confident the courts will recognize the legitimacy of our law, and my office will continue to defend it at every step.
Enforcing Immigration Laws
I called on state legislative leaders in 2024 to pass a law to make illegal immigration a state crime, mirroring federal law so that law enforcement across Oklahoma could make arrests and prosecute illegal immigrants. As you know, the Biden Administration had refused to enforce federal immigration law and failed to secure the southern border, with the result being millions of criminal illegals invading the country. In Oklahoma, that influx had brought untold numbers of individuals to work in marijuana grows run by Mexican drug cartels and Chinese crime syndicates. Despite that measure, House Bill 4156, being passed and signed into law, the Biden Administration sued to block its enforcement, leading to a protracted fight in federal court. Thankfully, the Trump and Bondi-led DOJ back our law, but the case continues to wind through the legal system because of liberal advocacy groups, and now the Mexican federal government, keeping alive the litigation.
Protecting Girls’ Sports
This year, we urged the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve states’ authority to pass and enforce laws that protect girls’ sports by ensuring all participants are biological females. While the cases before the high court are out of Idaho and West Virginia, Oklahoma passed its own “Save Women’s Sports Act” prohibiting biological males who identify as female from competing on girls and women’s sports teams. Justices are expected to hear oral arguments in January. My administration will continue to stand with other states in defending commonsense policies that preserve competitive fairness for female athletes.
Safeguarding Our Children
One of my top priorities has been to protect our children wherever they are, whether in the school yard or online. I have zero tolerance for those who prey on kids. On several fronts, my office has acted to protect our young people, including taking the first step into potential legal action against Roblox over the popular online platform’s lack of adequate safety measures for young users, warning AI companies to stop hurting our children with chatbots engaging in sexually inappropriate conversations, and pushing Instagram to make extra protections to its newly implemented location-sharing feature. These actions underscore my office’s commitment to protecting America’s children.
I’m grateful for the hardworking men and women of the Attorney General’s Office who are committed to these – and many other – fights for our citizens. We take very seriously the great responsibility we have to the people of Oklahoma to stand for the law and justice. While 2025 spurred many successes, we look forward to tackling new challenges in 2026.