HALL COUNTY, Ga. — After the Department of Homeland Security announced it was scrapping plans for a massive ICE immigrant detention facility in Social Circle last week, plans for another, smaller detention facility in Oakwood are up in the air.
But it appears the project will not go forward, according to a statement from DHS.
“I’m hoping, as we all are, that they’re going to scrap the program for Oakwood as well.” said Oakwood City Manager B.R. White.
In February, DHS purchased two large warehouse buildings on Atlanta Highway near I-985 to convert into a detention facility.
As designed, it would house 1,500 individuals for a short period, three to seven days, before they would be transferred to large facility.
White says the city of Oakwood doesn’t have the infrastructure to support a detention center, including necessary sewage service capacity.
He also says he has heard complaints from people who live near the planned detention center.
“A lot of them are voicing concerns about safety. About what would happen if people could out of the facility.” said White.
Janice Rucker lives in a neighborhood less than a mile from the planned detention center.
“It’s too close. I don’t want a bunch of people who could breakout, coming into our back yard. I have safety concerns. We don’t want it here. I’m hoping they won’t come in, period.” said Rucker.
The city manager says in addition to infrastructure issues, the city of Oakwood would lose over $100,000 each year in property tax revenue.
“In the location it’s at, it’s go residential development on two sides of it. It’s in a corridor, that has been long planned to become a commercial and industrial corridor.” said White.
Channel 2’s Tom Regan reached out to DHS to asked about the future of the detention facility project in Oakwood. The response suggests DHS will be canceling plans to build the facility.
DHS Spokesperson:
“From day one, DHS has remained singularly focused on removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from the United States and is always evaluating the best methods to do so. These heinous criminals, once arrested, should be removed at lightning speed, not housed on American soil at the taxpayer’s expense. DHS is moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners.”
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