ICE wanted to build a detention centre – this small farming town said no

ICE wanted to build a detention centre – this small farming town said no

For months, two neighbors in a Georgia town have shared a common goal. Democrat Gareth Fenley and conservative John Miller, despite their differing political views, have joined forces to monitor a nearby warehouse. Each day, they travel miles along the tree-lined roads of their rural community, scanning for signs of development. The empty, gray building—spanning one million square feet—has been purchased by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in February as part of a $38.3 billion plan to establish multiple immigration detention centers nationwide. The project has sparked strong opposition, not only in Democratic strongholds but also in conservative areas like Social Circle, where Trump won a decisive majority in the last election.

Social Circle, a town with a single stoplight, has become a symbol of resistance. The decision to oppose the detention center came despite the community’s support for Trump’s immigration policies, including his pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. “People have different reasons for aligning with the exact same message,” Fenley said.

“That message is: ‘Detention centre, not welcome here.'”

Residents fear the facility would overwhelm the town’s resources, tripling its population and transforming a place once known for its quaint Blue Willow Inn into a prison-centric area.

In March, City Manager Eric Taylor took the decisive step of cutting off the water supply to the warehouse. This action, taken to limit ICE’s access to the city’s entire water system, has made the town a notable battleground in the dispute. “If you open that water meter, it gives them full access to the city’s supply,” Taylor explained to the BBC.

“I can’t let that happen without knowing the long-term impact.”

The move has temporarily stalled the project, though the department’s plans for other warehouses remain uncertain.

Taylor highlighted the town’s water permit, which allows only one million gallons per day from the Alcovy River. During summer months, the town already uses 800,000 gallons. ICE’s proposed facility would require the same amount, but Taylor argued the system’s fragility makes it a risky investment. “I told them as soon as the water application was filed, we’d keep the meter locked,” he said. Miller, whose 50-acre horse farm borders the site, criticized the lack of community engagement. “Communities weren’t informed. They weren’t consulted,” he added.

“I understand the why, but I just don’t understand how they’re handling it.”

At the town’s core stands a replica of an old well, a tribute to its 1832 founding. According to a historical plaque, the town’s name originated from a gathering of settlers around a shared water source. “This is surely a social circle,” the stranger reportedly replied. Nearly two centuries later, the well has become a metaphor for the residents’ fight against the ICE facility. They argue the existing water infrastructure, serving 5,000 people, has struggled with reliability for decades. Federal officials have proposed alternatives, such as drilling a new well on the warehouse grounds or transporting water in bulk. However, Miller, a father of seven, remains skeptical. “Drilling new wells could divert resources from the one we rely on,” he said.