Fort Smith officials push back against ‘misinformation’ with immigration rumors

The City of Fort Smith released a statement Monday (Sept. 30) to refute numerous unfounded social media reports suggesting the city is bringing illegal immigrants into the area. The statement also said the city is not incentivizing illegal immigrants to move into the city.

Over the weekend, a Facebook post from a Fort Smith Realtor that Talk Business & Politics has decided to not identify stated that her flight from Dallas to Fort Smith was filled with “a group of adult men all migrxxts.” She stated on the post that was shared more than 300 times that none of the men spoke English and that many were wearing new clothes with tags on them. She did not state how she knew the men were migrants.

“They all got off the plane and stood out in the front of the airport waiting to be picked up in Fort Smith. If anybody in our community thinks that this will not reach us in our area, think again. This group was intentionally flown here, and I’m assuming provided airfare to get here in this group,” the post states.

“I think we’re naive to believe that this will not affect us. God help us,” she noted to conclude her post.

Many of those commenting on the post, shared similar things they had seen and repeated that they believe the city is giving a $10,000 incentive for people to move to Fort Smith.

“The City has thoroughly investigated these claims and wishes to provide clarity and factual information to the public,” according to the city statement.

The city has a program that incentivizes remote workers (people with full-time jobs who work from home and can work from anywhere in the country) in the United States to move to and live in Fort Smith called MakeMyMove. This program was approved by the City Board of Directors in March when the board approved $224,175 for contracted services with the Indianapolis-based Make My Move.

All applicants must pass a background check and submit proof of income and tax documentation to be considered. All MakeMyMove applicants are properly screened and vetted before receiving final approval to move to Fort Smith, the news release said. A Make My Move representative said the average income of the remote workers they recruit to a city is about $110,000 a year and the average household size is 2.3 people.

The Fort Smith Board agreed during July 23 to set aside $250,000 to fund incentives to encourage those working remotely to relocate to Fort Smith through the program. The money will fund incentives of $10,000 per participant who purchases a home in Fort Smith and $5,000 per participant who rents a home in Fort Smith.

“By offering a variety of incentives, we aim to showcase the numerous benefits of relocating to Fort Smith and provide support throughout the moving process,” Josh Buchfink, the city’s public relations manager, said in a memo on the subject.

The city also explained about migrants who may be in the area. A migrant worker is someone who is moving from place to place (within their country or across borders), usually for economic reasons such as seasonal work, the city’s news release said.

“On Saturday, Sept. 17, 25 employees for Thomas Carnival, Inc. were flown into Fort Smith to work at the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair. All 25 workers are either U.S. citizens or have valid H-2B visas. Thomas Carnival, Inc. hires these workers annually through this process and ensures that all participants are legally authorized to work in the United States. Thomas Carnival, Inc. has been organizing and producing the carnival and midway portion of the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair since the 1980s,” noted the city statement.

The H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers Program through the U.S. Department of Labor hires seasonal farm laborers to work at designated Agrico Labor operations across the United States, the news release said, explaining the presence of vans with Agrico printed on them in Fort Smith.

“There is an operation in Van Buren, and it is the only Agrico Labor operation in Arkansas. Agricultural workers participating in the H-2A program are vetted, fingerprinted, and undergo multiple interviews in Mexico before being granted work visas by the U.S. Consulate in Mexico,” the news release said. “These individuals are provided with social security numbers upon entering the United States. The buses used by Agrico Labor to transport these individuals from Mexico to the U.S. through the program are licensed American motor coaches.”

Canopy NWA, a nonprofit organization that spoke to the Fort Smith Board during a study session Aug. 27, has assisted in resettling four refugee families in Fort Smith in recent years. The families were thoroughly vetted and approved by the U.S. Department of State and are not illegal immigrants, the city’s statement said.

The refugee resettlement program is a federal program and is not associated with the City of Fort Smith. The U.S. Department of State decides where refugees are placed in the United States, the news release states, noting it is not a state or local decision. A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home because of war, violence, or persecution, often without warning. They are unable to return home unless and until conditions in their native lands are safe for them to do so. Representatives from Canopy NWA said many of their clients have become legal US citizens.

“They work here, have kids in school here. This is their home,” said Joanna Krause, Canopy NWA executive director.

It is illegal in Arkansas for any city in the state to be designated a sanctuary city, and the City of Fort Smith states it is not becoming one and does not want to become one.

“We encourage all residents to seek information from official sources and avoid spreading rumors or misinformation that can harm the reputation of hard-working individuals who are here legally under U.S. law,” the city said in the statement.