WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — The new leader of the Department of Homeland Security says he’s putting a pause on the current ICE detention center plans nationwide.
The department recently purchased a warehouse in Social Circle just north of I-20.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes spent the day in Walton County asking what that means for the facility there.
Even though the facility is not up and running, ICE makes its presence known there.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer is guarding the property on East Hightower Trail 24/7.
The massive warehouse was bought in February by DHS to house about 10,000 undocumented immigrants.
“I live right here, so I’m literally two minutes up the road from it,” said resident Henri Colquitt.
Colquitt was glad to hear new DHS Director Markwayne Mullin is putting a pause on the ICE detention center plan his predecessor Kristi Noem was pushing forward with.
Colquitt’s main issue is that the property is about a mile from an elementary school.
“That’s not a good look for the kids that have to go by there and see that. I just don’t see where it’s going to benefit our community,” Colquitt said.
Some neighbors think the detention center will help the community.
“It could be very beneficial, more jobs, more people around here,” one person said.
City Manager Eric Taylor said he has no doubt the ICE detention center is moving forward here, and the pause just means a delay.
However, the new DHS director said publicly that he’s taking a different approach than Noem.
He said he wants to hear from small towns, like Social Circle, that think a detention center will put too much stress on the water and sewer system.
“If the government can help accommodate the water, the sewage, things like that, yeah I’m all for it. But you know, citizens gotta live here,” said neighbor Donny McDougal.
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