Republicans in the Oklahoma House of Representatives notified Attorney General Mike Hunter this week that they stand behind his efforts targeting aliens and foreign firms who buy Oklahoma land for criminal purposes.

Led by Clinton Rep. Anthony Moore and House Speaker Charles McCall, the GOP group sent a letter to Hunter. The letter was signed by 50 legislators, including State Representative Danny Williams (R-Seminole).

The letter comes on the heels of House Bill 1497, a bill that prohibits property ownership by aliens from countries that ban United States citizens from owning property in that country, passed in the House 88-5. The bill, authored by McCall, was carried on the House floor by Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow.

In 2012, federal agents raided a quarter horse ranch, Zule Farms near Lexington, Oklahoma and arrested the ranch owner and his wife. They were accused of being part of a powerful Mexican drug cartel and allegedly used millions from illegal drug sales to run the ranch.

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Attorney General Hunter:

As you are aware, non-U.S. Citizens and foreign business entities (those formed under the law of a foreign country) can acquire title to real property in the United States, but this has been occurring at an alarming rate throughout our great State.

This has the potential to threaten the security of the United States and any state in which an alien or foreign business enterprise holds title to land. As you know, these threats have caused great concern to my constituents and many others throughout Oklahoma.

It is my understanding that you are currently working with law enforcement officials across the state to obtain information on any questionable land purchases and determine if other illegal activity is occurring in conjunction with these property transfers.

On behalf of myself and the other members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, whose signatures are appended to this letter, we fully support your efforts as the chief law enforcement officer for the State of Oklahoma to work with local and statewide law enforcement to track reported transactions in which an alien or foreign entity acquires title to real property with an underlying possible criminal purpose for the acquisition and to generally determine whether the acquisitions pose a safety or security risk to the citizens of the State of Oklahoma. We also support your intent to report such violations or concerns to any other federal or state entities with jurisdiction over such matters.

We look forward to supporting your compilation efforts in any way we can, including encouraging our local law enforcement officers to cooperate with your office in gathering information to determine if further investigation is warranted by any other state or federal agency.

Respectfully submitted,

Representative Anthony Moore and Speaker Charles McCall