ATLANTA — Two Georgia state senators say they plan to file a resolution under the Gold Dome aimed at keeping additional immigration detention facilities out of the state.
State Senators Jaha Howard and Rashaun Kemp say the resolution would support an amendment introduced by U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock on Capitol Hill. The amendment would bar facilities from becoming operational in the cities of Social Circle and Oakwood.
ICE detention facilities are in the works for Walton and Hall counties. Several facilities are already operating in other parts of Georgia, including the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin County, which is one of the largest in the United States.
Kemp said he plans “to file a resolution supporting our United States Senator Raphael Warnock and his efforts to slow this down; there should be cooperation on a ground level.”
Howard said, “we know that we don’t have as much power as our federal government, but we do have power.”
He also stated, “let me be clear, secure borders do not require industrial scale detention facilities imposed without local consent.”
Kemp said there needs to be more input from local leaders before warehouses and other spaces are sold to the Department of Homeland Security. Howard said lawmakers should have a say before DHS purchases buildings.
This comes as DHS has purchased a warehouse in Social Circle, and the purchase of a warehouse in Oakwood is reportedly imminent.
Warnock has introduced an amendment to a DHS spending bill that would block additional funding for the creation of detention centers. His measure also calls for mandatory inspections and site assessments for any new ICE facilities.
South Fulton City Councilmember Helen Willis said she will propose a similar resolution at the local level.
“I will be introducing a city resolution opposing ICE warehouse detention centers in South Fulton,” Willis said.
DHS said in a statement that the facilities would bring thousands of jobs to communities and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue, while also removing criminals off the streets. The agency also said the facilities would undergo a rigorous testing process to ensure local infrastructure is not strained.
Proposed ICE detention facilities have faced strong opposition from residents in communities where they are planned. Some state lawmakers say they should be part of the decision-making process before DHS moves forward with purchases.
WSB Radio’s Mary Ryan Howarth contributed to this story.