The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has abandoned its plans to convert a warehouse in Social Circle, Georgia, into a detention facility for illegal immigrants. The city of Social Circle announced that Congressman Mike Collins had informed them of the decision.

Background

The original plan, which was announced four months ago, would have seen the warehouse accommodate up to 10,000 detainees and 2,000 to 2,500 employees. The federal government had paid $128.5 million for the property, more than four times its previous sale price in 2023.

The decision to scrap the plans has been welcomed by local leaders and Georgia’s two US senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who had opposed the project from the start. The news comes as DHS is rethinking its plans to expand immigration detention facilities across the country.

Reaction

DHS has stated that it remains focused on removing criminal illegal aliens from the United States and is evaluating the best methods to do so. The department has not provided further details on its plans, but it is reportedly looking to utilize existing detention space with state and county partners.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.