POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Video doesn’t show Arkansas farmers praying for ‘more Mexicans.’ Here’s the truth
The Claim A viral video circulating on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram claimed that a group of Arkansas farmers were seen praying to Baby Jesus for ‘more Mexicans’...
The Claim
A viral video circulating on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram claimed that a group of Arkansas farmers were seen praying to Baby Jesus for ‘more Mexicans’ to replace those who had been deported, in an effort to save their struggling farms. The clip, which appeared to show a man leading a prayer, was posted online by an individual named Aaron Beltrán on October 4, 2026. The audio in the video suggested that the farmer was asking for additional Mexican laborers to replace those who had been deported, with the line: ‘Dear Lord, please send us some more Mexicans to replace the Mexicans we had deported.’ This statement sparked widespread concern and debate about anti-immigrant sentiment among U.S. farmers.
The video was shared amid broader discussions about rising prices, trade wars, and the financial struggles faced by American farmers. Reports from outlets like Reuters and Bloomberg highlighted how high diesel prices and trade tensions were impacting agricultural communities across the country. However, the specific claim about the prayer for ‘more Mexicans’ was not grounded in verified evidence, and it quickly became a subject of scrutiny by fact-checking organizations such as Snopes.
The Details & Investigation
The original footage in question was not fabricated but rather taken from a legitimate broadcast by KATV 7, a local news station in Little Rock, Arkansas. The clip was first posted on YouTube by KATV on September 2, 2025, over a year before the edited version began circulating online. In the original video, hundreds of Arkansas farmers gathered in a school gymnasium to express their concerns about the economic challenges they were facing, including rising costs and trade policies that were affecting their livelihoods.
At approximately 2:24 into the original video, a man is seen leading the farmers in a prayer. His words, as reported by KATV, were: ‘Farmers, in my opinion, dear Lord, and it is only my opinion, are closer to you than anyone else on this Earth because we deal with your Earth every day. Dear Lord, we’re hurting, dear Lord. We cannot help what’s happened to us. We need help, dear Lord.’ These statements reflect the farmers’ plea for assistance from the government, not a call for more Mexican laborers.
Snopes conducted a detailed analysis of the audio in the viral clip and found significant discrepancies between the original and the edited version. The audio in the manipulated clip is sharp and clear, without the natural echo that would be present in a school gymnasium. In contrast, the original footage includes an audible echo, consistent with the acoustics of the location. This strongly suggests that the audio in the viral clip was altered or synthesized, changing the original meaning of the prayer.
Furthermore, the person who initially shared the edited video on Facebook and Instagram was identified as Aaron Beltrán. Snopes reached out to him for clarification regarding whether he had edited the clip, whether the voice was his own, and whether the content was intended as satire. As of the publication of this report, no response had been received. However, based on the evidence available, the audio in the viral clip appears to have been deliberately manipulated to misrepresent the original message of the farmers.
The Verdict
The viral claim that Arkansas farmers were praying for ‘more Mexicans’ to replace those who had been deported is FALSE. The original footage from KATV 7 does not contain the statement attributed to the farmer in the edited version. Instead, the authentic audio reflects a sincere plea for federal assistance due to the financial hardships faced by the farming community. The audio in the viral clip has been significantly altered, likely to create a misleading narrative that fuels anti-immigrant sentiment.
This case represents a clear example of DISINFORMATION—deliberate manipulation of media to distort reality and spread false narratives. The editing of the audio, combined with the context of rising tensions around immigration and trade, made the clip particularly effective at generating public outrage. However, the facts confirm that the original intent of the farmers was not to request more Mexican laborers, but rather to seek support from the government during a time of economic distress.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
