Relman Colfax PLLC filed a lawsuit on May 20, 2026 on behalf of Michelle Walker, a real estate broker, against Return to the Land, a white nationalist organization and community in Ravenden, Arkansas. The complaint alleges that Walker was discriminated against by Return to the Land, after being refused the right to purchase land on the basis of race and religion. Walker is of Jewish ancestry, married to a Black man, and has biracial children
Return to the Land (RTTL), a white separatist organization, is attempting to create a segregated all-white community in Arkansas. Its founders believe that white people are genetically superior to all other races, advance the view that Jewish people are engaged in a plot to eliminate the white race, and advocate for segregated white communities for the purpose of creating a separate all-white nation state that will help avoid “white genocide.”
Only white persons with “European ancestry” are allowed to buy land or live at RTTL’s Arkansas community. Non-white people and Jewish people, or those with Jewish ancestry, are not permitted to buy land or live at RTTL, and the ban extends to spouses and other members of a person’s family.
In the summer of 2025, Walker learned that RTTL was offering land for sale at an exceptionally low price in Arkansas, not far from where she had investment property and occasionally vacationed. Interested in the investment potential of the land, she decided to apply to purchase land at the RTTL community.
Walker was asked a series of questions about her ancestry and religion, as well as that of her husband and children, throughout the application process. As to her ancestry, Ms. Walker noted that her father’s side of the family had come to the United States in the 1600’s; that her mother’s side of the family were Russian Jewish immigrants; that her husband is of Irish and African descent; and that her children were a mix of the races and nationalities of her and her husband.
Walker was surprised to see the ancestry and religion questions on the application, which she understood as clearly violating federal and state fair housing laws prohibiting consideration of race and religion in a land-sale decision. She nevertheless completed the application to purchase land at the RTTL Arkansas community with the hope and expectation that Defendants understood the requirements of the law and would not actually deny her the right to buy the land because she was married to a Black man or because of her Jewish ancestry.
Shortly after completing her application, Walker was interviewed by a member of the RTTL community. At the interview she was asked if she belonged to “any other white nationalist organizations.”
One month later, Walker’s application was denied because of her religion, ancestry, and the race of her family members, which are incompatible with RTTL’s goal of establishing an all-white community, the complaint alleges.
Walker is seeking damages, injunctive relief, and declaratory relief against Return to the Land and its owners. The complaint seeks redress for violation of the Fair Housing Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 1981, 1982, and 1985, and the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993.
In Michelle Walker v. Return To The Land, the complaint argues that Return to the Land’s actions constitute blatant and brazen violations of long-standing federal and state fair housing laws. It is alleged that Walker has been deprived of her housing and civil rights, including the right to purchase land and build housing.
Co-Counsel includes the Legal Defense Fund and Legal Aid of Arkansas.
News of this filing was broken by The New York Times.