GA State Representatives and Advocates convene at the Capitol to demand the Abolition of ICE and stand in Solidarity with Minnesota
January 30, 2026
CONTACT INFORMATION
James Woo, Director of Communications, media@advancingjustice-atlanta.org
Atlanta, GA – On January 29, 2026, Georgia State Representatives, immigrant rights organizations, and directly impacted families held a press conference on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol to stand in solidarity with Minnesota and demand an immediate end to militarized immigration enforcement. The advocates highlighted how aggressive state and federal policies have turned Georgia into an epicenter for ICE detention, family separation, and community trauma.
As Georgia holds the fourth-highest ICE detention rate in the nation, and the disturbing trend of the number of Asian immigrants arrested by ICE has tripled since early 2025, the press conference served as a call for both federal and state lawmakers to halt the expansion of detention facilities, abolish ICE, and keep our families together and safe.
“ICE is not broken, nor in need of reform. It is a weapon of state violence functioning exactly as designed,” said Murtaza Khwaja, Executive Director of Advancing Justice-Atlanta. “ICE continues to operate with disturbing brutality, posing a direct threat to public safety. We must continue working to protect and safeguard those unjustly targeted in our communities”.
A central focus of the conference was also to urge the need for state legislative reform. Advocates and legislators called for the passage of HB 1053, a critical bill designed to repeal the harmful HB 1105.
HB 1105, which was passed two years ago, requires local law enforcement agencies to pursue greater cooperation and communication with ICE. Its passage led to an almost tenfold increase in local police and sheriff’s departments entering partnership agreements with ICE, including use of local police officers to conduct immigration arrests. State law compels this cooperation with threats of criminal penalties and withholding of state and federal funds for law enforcement officers and agencies. HB 1053, which has been introduced this session, would repeal this law and also the state’s so-called “anti-sanctuary” provisions which cause confusion over how local governments and school districts must cooperate or communicate with federal immigration enforcement.
Beyond state legislation, advocates issued a clear demand to the federal government: Abolish ICE and end immigration detention. The organizations called for a halt to Department of Homeland Security funding until these facilities are closed and lawless practices such as third-country removal and detention of immigrants are stopped.
Khwaja added, “This moment demands courage: we call on the federal government to abolish ICE, end immigration detention facilities, and halt all DHS funding until that happens; we call on the Georgia legislature to pass HB 1053; and on all of us to stand together, because when we protect Georgians, we strengthen Georgia.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all.
