At a Democratic fundraiser in Dalton, Georgia, former Atlanta mayor and current gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms highlighted her 2018 decision to end the city’s multi‑year, multi‑million‑dollar agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Bottoms framed the move as a moral stance, saying she wanted to stop “money ain’t good money” from supporting a federal agency she described as “anti‑law enforcement, pro‑criminal illegal alien.”
DHS Responds With Strong Rebuttal
The Department of Homeland Security issued a pointed statement defending ICE and criticizing Bottoms’ past actions. A DHS spokesperson said the former mayor’s only difference was “to obstruct federal immigration laws, making Atlanta‑area communities a hotbed for illegal immigration on her watch.” The spokesperson emphasized that ICE does not separate families; instead, parents are asked if they wish to leave with their children, and if not, children are placed with a safe person designated by the parent.
Policy Context Under the Trump Administration
Since President Trump took office in 2025, the administration has stressed the importance of local law‑enforcement partnerships with ICE. The DHS statement noted that “seven of the top ten safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE,” and cited successful operations that resulted in tens of thousands of arrests of illegal immigrants across the country, including a two‑week sweep in West Virginia that netted more than 650 arrests.
Calls for Illegal Immigrants to Self‑Deport
The DHS release also reminded illegal immigrants that the United States is offering a $2,600 payment and a free flight for those who choose to self‑deport and later return legally. “We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream,” the statement read, adding that failure to do so could result in arrest and deportation without a chance to return.
Local Impact and Political Fallout
Bottoms’ remarks have drawn criticism from local officials who support the Trump administration’s immigration stance. The DHS spokesperson warned that when politicians bar local law‑enforcement from working with federal agencies, officers must increase their visible presence to locate and apprehend criminals who have been released from jails.
In addition to the policy debate, Bottoms shared a personal anecdote about her father’s struggle with addiction and her early visits to prisons across Georgia, which she said taught her to see humanity even in those who have made mistakes. While the story resonated with some voters, the DHS response framed her past actions as endangering community safety.
What This Means for Georgia Voters
As the Georgia gubernatorial race heats up, the clash over ICE cooperation highlights a broader partisan divide on immigration enforcement. Voters in Dalton and across the state will hear competing narratives: one that emphasizes compassion and local autonomy, and another that stresses law‑and‑order, public safety, and constitutional authority to enforce immigration laws.
Both sides agree that the issue touches core concerns for families and communities—protecting children, preserving neighborhood safety, and upholding the rule of law. How candidates balance these priorities will likely influence voter decisions as the primary season approaches.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
