TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum defended the city's recent designation as a 'Welcoming City' on social media.
2 News reported the designation when it was approved by the city council 9-0 in March 2023. Tulsa was officially given the certification in December.
So, what does it really mean to be a welcoming city?
The definition given by the initiative said, "Certified Welcoming is a formal designation for cities and counties that have created policies and programs reflecting their values and commitment to immigrant inclusion. This innovative program assesses city and county governments on their efforts to include and welcome immigrants in all areas of civic, social, and economic life in their communities.”
In a Feb. 19 post, Mayor G.T. Bynum railed against unsubstantiated claims he's gotten asked about by residents and elected officials alike – all having to do with recent projects or events in Tulsa impacting immigration.
"If I, every day, went on social media to respond to whatever dumb rumor happened to be circulating in the comments section on that particular day, I would never get any work done," Mayor Bynum said.
One false theory, he said, is that Tulsa International Airport's planned customs for international flights would be tied to processing illegal migrants.
"There's no question that this a wedge issue in this year's federal elections, and it will come up, I'm sure, again and again," he said. "And again, I'm sure there's an important debate to be had around these issues, but base that debate around the facts."
Then there's arumor around the East Tulsa Incubator being built at Plaza Santa Cecilia at 21st Street and Garnett Road, designed and funded to promote immigrant-owned small businesses and entrepreneurship.
The claim is the project, set for construction in April, is going to harbor undocumented immigrants and will present Tulsa as a "sanctuary city", an accusation Bynum called a fantasy.
Dr. Martha Zapata leads the Tulsa Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which is based inside the indoor plaza. She backed the mayor and said the chamber's work with entrepreneurs is only possible if they have legal status.
"The ability to do your taxes, the ability to do your accounting, for example, your bookkeeping...that is what we do. That's what the East Tulsa Business Incubator is going to do," Zapata told 2 News.
Bynum said he understands the focus needed elsewhere in the country to curb illegal immigration but wants Tulsans to know those issues are separate from city business.
"My concern is that anytime people hear that we're doing stuff to help out lawful immigrants in Tulsa, they immediately jump and assume that it is, in some way, supportive of illegal immigration," the mayor said. "And that's just not the case."
Zapata added any migrants in the area who don't have permanent status but want to work legally are usually pointed to other local non-profits like the YWCA.
In response to a proposal from city councilor and mayoral candidate Jayme Fowler to prohibit any city resources from benefiting illegal immigrants, Bynum said he agreed with the overall goal but said it wouldn't be feasible actually to implement.
Bynum said each of the false claims he discussed gained enough traction for other elected officials to reach out to him, asking if they were true.
"I appreciate them having the thoughtfulness to check - something the people manufacturing this stuff either didn’t bother to do or knew but spread falsehoods anyway," he said. "I want those who care to know the facts to have access to them."
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