Oppose New ICE Detention Facility in Social Circle, Georgia

In a move that stunned local residents, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has moved forward with the purchase of a massive warehouse in Social Circle, GA. DHS plans to convert the million square foot facility into a detention center and begin housing detainees there as early as April of this year. This is despite near unanimous opposition from community members and local government.

Warehouses like the one in Social Circle are designed for storage and shipping, not human habitation. Local officials assert that the city lacks the water and sewer infrastructure for a large influx of detainees and have called the project “unfeasible”. This is compounded by widespread reports of overcrowding, inadequate food, substandard medical care, and dozens of deaths at detention centers across the country. Residents are also concerned by the fact that the detention facility is only 4000 feet away from a local elementary school.

The conversion of the Social Circle warehouse into a detention center is morally indefensible. The residents and local government are opposed to it. DHS acted in secrecy to acquire the property and now plans to override local zoning to convert it into a massive detention center under an accelerated timeline. Such a facility would directly result in thousands of cases of inhumane imprisonment and have a devastating impact on the community.

Content for this call topic kindly provided by GLAHR, Project South, 50501GA, and Necessary Trouble Georgia.