Georgia towns opposed plans to turn two huge warehouses into ICE detention centers, including one designed for up to 10,000 people; the federal government has now listed both properties for sale
Federal officials have officially cancelled plans to turn two large warehouses in Georgia into immigration detention centres. Both properties have now been listed for sale following strong public and political opposition. The decision is a major win for local communities in Douglas and Jackson counties, which strongly opposed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) proposal. The cancelled plan included turning a huge warehouse in Lithia Springs into a detention centre that could hold up to 10,000 people. Critics described it as a “mass incarceration” facility that would change the character of the community. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency that manages government property, confirmed that both the Lithia Springs warehouse and another large property in Braselton are now considered surplus government property and are available for sale.
The massive detention center project
The federal plan first emerged in 2020 and 2021. It was part of a wider ICE effort to change how immigration detention was handled. According to reports from the American Immigration Council, the agency wanted to move towards government-owned, modular processing centres. These centres would be created by changing commercial warehouses to meet detention needs. ICE wanted facilities that could easily expand or adjust to changing operational needs. The planned facilities were much larger than anything previously proposed in the region. CBS News Atlanta previously reported that the Lithia Springs warehouse in Douglas County was bought in 2020 for nearly $13.5 million. Its design included modular sections that could allow it to hold up to 10,000 people. The building covered more than 360,000 square feet and was expected to become a leading example of this new approach to immigration enforcement away from the border. Federal officials also bought a second warehouse in Braselton, Jackson County. The property covered more than 500,000 square feet and cost $11 million in 2021. Both purchases were made quietly, often surprising local leaders. MPB News reported earlier this year that similar buying methods had been used in several other towns targeted for detention centre expansion.
Fierce opposition by local communities
Residents and elected officials across Georgia joined together to oppose the federal plans from the beginning. In Douglas County, commissioners and local residents raised serious concerns about public safety, property values, and the impact of having such a large detention centre in their community. Douglas County Commissioner Kelly Mitchell-Garnett summed up the community’s position when speaking to federal officials. “We simply don’t want it,” she said. The county commission passed resolutions against the project. Officials argued that the warehouse was too close to homes and schools. Congressman David Scott also played an important role by working in Congress to stop the conversion plans or prevent public money from being used for them, CBS News Atlanta reported. Residents in Braselton also strongly opposed the proposal. Jackson County residents filled local public meetings to speak against having a federal detention centre in their town. They argued that such a facility would change the peaceful nature of their community and put extra pressure on local infrastructure and services.
Government waste expose and plan scrapped
The decision to sell the properties comes after years of delays and growing concerns about wasted government money. Last month, the GSA officially listed both properties for sale. This happened after federal officials informed leaders in Oakwood and Social Circle, two other locations previously considered for detention centres, that the warehouse purchase programme was being brought to an end. Concerns about poor financial management also played an important part in the cancellation. CBS News Atlanta previously reported that the federal government was spending millions of taxpayer dollars to maintain warehouses that were sitting empty. A Government Accountability Office report released in September confirmed that federal agencies had lost $20 million in costs that could not be recovered after purchasing warehouses they no longer planned to use. Rep. Scott welcomed the decision, saying he had long argued that the Douglas County property was not suitable for a detention centre. He was pleased that ICE would not move ahead with the Lithia Springs project. Speaking to CBS News Atlanta, he said: “The plan to open an ICE processing facility in Douglas County is dead. I am proud to have led the fight to block this facility that didn’t belong in our district, and I’m glad our community won’t have to live under that threat anymore.” Douglas County commissioners also welcomed the announcement that the property would be sold. Commissioner Tarenia Carthan shared her relief and happiness in a Facebook post. She described the warehouse receiving official surplus status and being listed for sale as a final victory for the community.
Future use of massive warehouse sites
The GSA is now working to sell the properties as quickly as possible. The Braselton warehouse includes light industrial space and offices, according to federal records. It is being sold through a public auction, with a starting bid of $11 million listed by FOX 5 Atlanta. The Lithia Springs property does not currently have a starting bid listed, according to CBS News Atlanta. However, federal property managers expect strong interest from commercial buyers because of its size and location. Local officials hope the properties will return to their original commercial or industrial uses. They want the sites to create jobs and tax revenue instead of being used as federal detention centres. Leaders in Braselton and nearby areas are cautiously hopeful that the properties will be sold and turned into useful commercial developments. Real estate experts have said that the large size and location of both warehouses could make them attractive to companies involved in logistics, distribution, or manufacturing. Douglas County officials are particularly interested in seeing the property at 999 Crestmark Blvd in Lithia Springs become a source of economic growth. They want its future use to support the county’s long-term development plans and help the community move beyond the cancelled detention centre proposal.
