SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — A small Georgia community of about 5,000 people was rocked this week after a Washington Post report suggested Social Circle could become the site of a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, detention facility.
Mayor David Keener says the city was never formally notified by the federal government about the draft solicitation and has been scrambling to get answers from state and federal leaders.
“I’ve spoken with Governor Kemp, I’ve spoken with our two senators, Warnock and Ossoff, and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones,” Keener said. “I’ve asked for their help and assistance in making it clear that this is just not right for Social Circle.”
According to reports, the facility could house between 5,000 and 10,000 detainees, a number that would more than triple the city’s population. Keener says the potential impact raises serious infrastructure and public safety concerns.
“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.”
City Manager Eric Taylor says the city is now working to understand what authority it may have as federal officials consider the proposal.
“Right now, we’re trying to determine what rights the City of Social Circle has in this matter,” Taylor said. “The U.S. Constitution includes a supremacy clause that gives the federal government authority over state and local laws.”
City leaders did not specify an exact location for the proposed site, but say a warehouse near a school is believed to be under consideration, adding to their concerns.
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