Advancing Justice–Atlanta Submits Public Comment In Support of A DeKalb County Resolution Concerning The Presence of Immigration Enforcement Teams
January 27, 2026
The Dekalb County Board of Commissioners are going to vote on the below resolution today. Advancing Justice-Atlanta submitted a public comment in support of this resolution via email:
FROM: Dr. Anar Parikh, Policy Manager, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta
TO: DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
Re: Public Comment in Support of A Resolution Of The DeKalb County Board Of Commissioners Concerning Public Safety, The Protection Of Civil Rights, And The Withdrawal Of Federal Tactical Immigration Enforcement Teams From DeKalb County.
Dear Esteemed Council Members,
We write to you today in strong support of the resolution proposed by Commissioner Ted Terry concerning the presence of immigration enforcement teams in DeKalb County. Since January 2025, billions of taxpayer dollars have been funneled into ICE in order to terrorize immigrant communities across the nation. In the time since Commissioner Terry introduced this resolution on January 13, ICE was involved in a second fatal shooting, that of Alex Pretti, a 37 year-old ICU nurse in Minneapolis.
Georgia is poised to be at the epicenter of ICE presence and enforcement. The state houses two immigration detention centers: Stewart Immigration Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA and the recently expanded Folkston ICE Processing Center in Georgia. In October 2025, authorities also announced that the Irwin County Detention Center, which was closed in 2021 following revelations of medical malpractice, has now reopened for immigration enforcement activities. ICE also plans to open two new detention facilities at converted warehouses in Social Circle and Jefferson. Meanwhile, ICE trains officers at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, GA.
We must demand more for every immigrant, person of color, and concerned citizen in our state. Already we have been terrorized and traumatized by the violence inflicted on our family members and our neighbors. Enough is enough and we demand the immediate withdrawal of ICE agents nationwide, and a complete abolishment of the agency.
As our representatives in Congress continue to consider allocating even more funds to the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, Commissioner Terry’s resolution sends a strong message that the presence of tactical federal immigration enforcement teams in DeKalb County are a threat to the safety and welfare of its residents. Please vote yes on this resolution.
Sincerely,
Dr. Parikh
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.
