Social Circle sues DHS over planned ICE detention center

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The City of Social Circle has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop the development of an immigrant detention facility.

According to the complaint, the city argues federal agencies moved forward without doing the environmental analysis required by the National Environmental Policy Act and without the “reasoned decision-making” required under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The lawsuit also asserts the project would create a public nuisance under Georgia law because Social Circle’s water and sewer systems, the city says, do not have the capacity to support a detention facility they claim could triple the town’s population.

The city is asking a federal judge to block any further construction of the facility and declare the federal decision unlawful.

Social Circle said Homeland Security informed it of its purchase of a warehouse facility on E. Hightower Road to detain roughly 10,000 immigrants. That is double Social Circle’s population of about 5,000 people, according to the 2020 census.

In a statement, the DHS said it is 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,’” the agency quoted.

In the metro Atlanta area, two warehouses — one in Walton County’s Social Circle and the other in Hall County’s Oakwood — have faced vigorous opposition from community members, who cite issues with infrastructure, transparency and law enforcement.