Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025 • One of the warmest Christmas Eves in memory — upper 70s. ☀️

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In today’s Memo:

By Ari Fife, The Frontier
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After fleeing political persecution and building “a life, family and community” in the U.S. over 20 years, a Chinese immigrant was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a routine check-in and held at the Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing for months. 

He entered the U.S. as an asylum seeker in the late 1990s, but his claim was denied and he was ordered to be removed from the country, according to a federal lawsuit filed in the Western District of Oklahoma. He’s been on an ICE order of supervision for years. Court records indicate that he’s paid taxes for over two decades and worked on a farm before his arrest. They also state that he’s had no criminal arrests or convictions. 

His lawyers wrote in a petition for release that federal authorities had violated his constitutional rights by holding him without bail. 

A federal judge in early December ordered the man to be released, ruling immigration authorities failed to prove that they were detaining him because it was significantly likely that he would be deported in the “reasonably foreseeable future.”

Another detainee held at the Kay County Detention Center in Newkirk was charged with entering the U.S. illegally, but has lived in the country for 17 years and has six children who are U.S. citizens. He alleged in a court filing that his detention violated his right to due process. 

Court proceedings involving immigration detainees such as these typically aren’t public, but these filings, which were unsealed, provide a rare glimpse into cases playing out in federal courts across the United States as the Trump administration has pushed to expand the use of mandatory detention for immigrants facing deportation.

Click here to read the full story.

By Joe Tomlinson, Tulsa Flyer
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Cooking for the holidays can come with a lot of pressure. If you can’t stand the heat — or don’t want to — for Christmas dinner, we rounded up some  Tulsa-area restaurants that will handle the food prep for you.

Ti Amo, 6024 S. Sheridan Road Suite A, is open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., then from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The Eatery at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 777 W. Cherokee St., is offering its Christmas menu with prime rib, ham, seafood options and fixins, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is $36 per person.

The Chalkboard, 1324 S. Main St. in the Ambassador Hotel, is offering its annual buffet, serving prime rib, roasted turkey breast and jumbo shrimp, among other items. The cost is $75 for adults and $35 for kids under 12. Children younger than 5 can enter for free. Seatings are at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

My Momma’s House, 502 E. 3rd St. in The Boxyard, is hosting its Christmas feast from 5 to 10 p.m.

The Chamber, 115 E. 5th St. at Tulsa Club Hotel, is open 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., then reopens from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The typical menu will be offered.

India Palace, 6963 S. Lewis Ave., is open during its regular business hours. The lunch buffet runs from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and dinner is from 5 to 9 p.m.

Kirin Asian and Sushi Cuisine, 8041 S. Mingo Road, will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Mandarin Taste, 9107 S. Sheridan Road, is offering a limited menu between 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. As usual, the restaurant will close for a break between 3 to 4 p.m.

Stutts House of Barbeque, 2021 E. Apache St., is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Stutts will have a special menu in addition to its signature barbecue.

New Royal Dragon, 6528 E. 101st St., is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Black Bear Diner, 9026 E. 71st St., is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 25. Turkey, ham and prime rib dinners will be offered. There will be a limited menu on Christmas.

Won Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, 7407 S. Memorial Drive, is serving its all-day dinner buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Texas de Brazil, 7021 S. Memorial Drive in Woodland Hills Mall, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saltgrass Steak House, 4550 E. Skelly Drive, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas.

Soma, 1840 S. Boulder Ave. on top of the Brut Hotel, opens at 8 a.m. and takes its last reservations at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 24. The restaurant is open from 4 to 10 p.m. on Christmas.

By Ryan Welton & Jeremy Cook, Oklahoma Memo
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Tuesday was Dec. 23 — Festivus — so Jeremy and Ryan did what Frank Costanza would want: we aired our grievances.

In a special Bedlam Buds holiday episode, we went rapid-fire on the stuff that makes everyday life more annoying than it needs to be — starting with the people who spoil games (texts, score crawls, ESPN updates… all of it).

From there, we hit daylight saving time, drivers who go under the speed limit, and the whole “grammar Nazi” thing — plus the big one: don’t yuck somebody else’s yum. If somebody likes Taylor Swift, NASCAR, anime, or whatever else… let them live.

We also squeezed in one more grown-up grievance: why do concerts start so late? Regular people times exist, promoters.

If you need something lighter before the holiday sprint really begins, this one’s for you.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:

• Federal lawsuit claims Stillwater officials 'shielded' Jesse Butler (The Oklahoman)*

• OU graduate students condemn removal of instructor in essay dispute (The Oklahoman)*

• Oklahoma mentioned in Epstein files as DOJ says some claims are 'untrue and sensationalist' (KOCO)

• Balancing grief and safety: How Oklahoma agencies handle the challenge of roadside memorials (News On 6)

• Red Andrews Christmas Dinner returns to serve thousands in person (KOCO)

• AI spending will cool in 2026, Tulsa financier predicts (Public Radio Tulsa)

• Oklahoma’s prison population climbed in 2025 (Oklahoma Watch)

• How to stay safe and prevent theft during holidays, according to Tulsa law enforcement (Tulsa Flyer)

• No 'rift' here, they say, as mayor, councilors work to improve communications (Tulsa World)*

• Bartlesville announces next superintendent (Tulsa World)*

• Duncan teacher placed on leave after students stuck with needle, police say (News 9)

• Tiny homes eyed as solution to reduce homelessness for Oklahoma teens aging out of foster care (Oklahoma Voice)

• Solo’s Park & Pub closing its doors months after Bar K closes, dog community reacts (News 9)

• Ray’s Smokehouse BBQ to close Lindsey location, relocate to Ed Noble Parkway (OU Daily)

• In Latin cultures, most families celebrate ‘Noche Buena’ on Christmas Eve. Here’s why. (Tulsa Flyer • La Semana)

• Where you can celebrate Kwanzaa and other winter holidays in Tulsa (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Invasive beetles have made a home in Murray County: What you can do to slow their spread in Oklahoma (KOSU)

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