SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — The City of Social Circle says plans to turn a building within city limits into an ICE detention facility are moving forward.
City leaders say they had a call with Congressman Mike Collins and his staff on Wednesday.
They said that Collins’ staff informed them that a property owned by New York City-based PNK Group is currently in escrow and is moving toward a final purchase by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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Once purchased, city leaders say they were told that DHS intends to convert the building into a detention facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
They say Collins said Social Circle was initially being considered as an alternative location, but has since been identified as a preferred site.
City leaders say they have not been asked for or provided any input related to the facility.
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Last month, Mayor David Keener pushed back, telling Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter that an ICE facility “is just not right for Social Circle.”
He says the facility could hold anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 detainees, would more than triple the city’s population.
“We’ve looked at the number of beds required, the amount of water and sewer that would be needed, and we simply don’t have the capacity,” Keener said. “We also don’t have the police force to support something of that scale.”
Collins shared a statement on social media on Wednesday saying that he agrees that Social Circle is not the right location for the facility.
“Although I am aligned with the mission of ICE to detain and deport the criminal illegal aliens who have flooded across our border due to Joe Biden’s reckless policies, I agree with the community that Social Circle does not have the sufficient resources that this facility would require,” he wrote.
City leaders say they have requested all of the information provided by Collins and a timeline be provided in writing.
They say Collins and his staff indicated that housing at the facility could begin as early as April.
PNK Group shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News saying several buyers are interested, but did not confirm if the federal government is one of those buyers.
PNK Group currently owns the property at 1365 East Hightower Trail; however, the building is actively being offered for sale and several potential buyers have expressed interest. Because this is a sales transaction, any future use of the property will be determined solely by the eventual purchaser and will be subject to the required local review and approval processes. PNK will not have any role in operational decisions once the property is sold.
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