Recent reports in the Washington Post and other media outlets tell of a proposed federal detention facility associated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) possibly being located in Social Circle.
According to the reports, the plan under consideration includes renovating industrial warehouse facilities to hold 5,000-10,000 people being staged for deportation. Social Circle is in Walton County, 45 miles east of Atlanta.
But the mayor and city council has a message for ICE, assuming the reports are accurate: We have no room for you.
“The City of Social Circle has not been informed of any proposed detention facility,” the officials said in a recent statement. “City officials learned of the media report at the same time as the public. To date, no representative of the federal government, ICE, or the property owner has contacted the City in any way, nor has the City received an application related to detention operations.
“City staff and elected officials are actively seeking confirmation from state and federal partners that no such facility will be located within the City or the surrounding areas.”
A key reason that such a facility is infeasible, according to the statement, is because the city does not have the water and sewer infrastructure to support this type of facility. “Current capacity limitations would not support a development of the size described in media reports. This proposal could result in an effective tripling of the City’s population that is hovering right around 5,000 citizens.
In addition to the lack of water and sewer capacity, there is not a site within the City that will provide a safe distance from homes, businesses, and schools. The City will not tolerate a failure in security.
The Mayor and City Council of the City of Social Circle unequivocally does not support an ICE detention facility in the City or the surrounding areas.”
City officials add that they are evaluating what authority, if any, the City has in this matter and will continue to oppose any efforts of this kind through all appropriate channels.