SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is working with his colleagues to pass a bill that would require the federal government to get explicit approval from local communities before trying to build or open new immigration detention centers.
In a statement shared by the senator’s office, Ossoff expressed support for the Respect for Local Communities Act.
As written, the bill would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement receive approval, in writing, from both state and local governments before it can open a new ICE detention or processing facility.
Ossoff’s office mentioned the recently purchased ICE “mega site” under development in Social Circle, Ga. as an example.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“For months, the Social Circle community has been clear in its opposition to this administration’s proposed ICE detention facility, which local leaders have warned risks overwhelming the city’s infrastructure,” Ossoff said in a statement. “Yet despite clear local opposition, this administration’s plans and intentions have been shrouded in secrecy without any local input. This bill will require the Federal government to get local agreement before building such facilities.”
RELATED STORIES:
- US Senators demand answers on ICE mega detention center from new DHS secretary
- No water for ICE: Utilities to planned Georgia detention center cut off
- Social Circle leaders back move to lock ICE facility water meter
- ‘Blindsided’: Metro Atlanta city vows to challenge planned detention facility
- Social Circle city leaders say federal officials blew off meeting about ICE facility
- Neighbors say ICE facility would turn Social Circle into a ‘prison town’
- Georgia city opposes ICE detention facility being built there
The Respect for Local Communities Act would also require that the Secretary of Homeland Security notifies relevant committees in U.S. Congress before moving forward with a new facility plan, and would also have to have a public comment period before construction starts.
Social Circle Mayor David Keener thanked Ossoff for his support of the city as they work to get more information from the Department of Homeland Security, and ICE, about the facility’s impacts on local infrastructure.
As Channel 2 Action News has covered before, the city’s leaders said they were blindsided by the federal government’s purchase of the site and construction on the facility.
Social Circle leaders said they first learned of the facility after they were contacted by national news outlets, rather than being told by federal officials.
In the months since, the city is still demanding answers about the project, and are opposing it until more details are revealed.
“Our community remains strongly opposed to ICE’s proposed detention facility, which risks overwhelming our infrastructure and more than tripling our population. ICE and DHS’ failures to communicate with us about these plans has made the situation even worse and created months of havoc,” Keener said. “We’re grateful to Senator Ossoff for his continued opposition to this project and for his support of this Federal legislation that would ensure our community has a voice in this process and cannot be ignored.”
In responses to Channel 2 Action News related to the ongoing discussions and debates over ICE facilities in the metro Atlanta area, the Department of Homeland Security shared the following statement.
“As with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals. As Secretary Mullin said in his confirmation hearing: ‘I will work with the community leaders and make sure that we are delivering for the American people what the President set out… We want to work with community leaders. We want to be good partners.’”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
