Fort Smith area sees increased focus on immigration enforcement issues by ICE and local authorities

 In a sweeping enforcement effort, Arkansas authorities arrested 375 illegal foreign nationals in the state's largest operation targeting undocumented immigrants earlier in the year, with a notable uptick in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the Fort Smith area.

The arrests, spanning January 21 to February 27, followed President Donald Trump’s executive orders to bolster border security and prioritize deportations.

The multi-agency operation, dubbed Operation Enforce and Remove, involved the DEA, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Arkansas State Police, and local judicial drug task forces, working closely with ICE. It targeted individuals from 23 countries, many with prior convictions for crimes like assault, drug trafficking, and sexual offenses

. In Fort Smith, ICE enforcement has intensified, with local law enforcement collaborating under ICE’s 287(g) program to expedite deportations.

“Violent criminal illegals have no place in Arkansas,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, emphasizing the state’s commitment to public safety.

The operation also netted 253 drug-related arrests, seizing 225 pounds of methamphetamine, 65 pounds of cocaine, and thousands of fentanyl pills.

Concurrently, state lawmakers filed the Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act, which enhances penalties for crimes committed by illegal immigrants and expands Arkansas’ sanctuary city ban to unincorporated areas and counties.

The bill mandates local law enforcement participation in ICE’s deportation efforts, with non-compliant jurisdictions risking state funding.

The crackdown aligns with a national drop in illegal border crossings, which fell over 90% in February, the lowest in recorded U.S. history, according to federal data.

Sanders, who previously supported Texas’ border security mission, praised Trump’s policies, stating, “Arkansas will continue to partner with the administration to restore law and order.”

Local officials in Fort Smith report increased ICE presence, with community members urged to stay informed as enforcement efforts continue.