Social Circle Fights Immigration Detention Center

0:00On April 5, in the tiny Georgia town of Social Circle, two neighbors from opposite sides of the aisle, a Democrat named Gareth Finley and A, conservative John Miller have teamed up on a daily ritual. Every morning, they drive out to check a massive 1 million square foot warehouse bought by the Department of Homeland Security back in February. It's eyed for a huge immigration detention center that could hold 10,000 people part of a $38 billion plan to build dozens more across the country. The pushback started strong when locals learned about it last December. City manager Eric Taylor locked the water meter to protect the town's fragile supply, which barely serves its 5,000 residents. Tripling the population would overload everything from roads to sewers and federal ideas like trucking in a million gallons daily or drilling new. Wells just don't cut it for folks like Miller, whose horse farm sits right across the road. Residents, mostly Trump voters, back-tough immigration stances, but say their one-stop-ly town can't handle the strain.

1:02Protest drew hundreds, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock got involved, and even Republican rep Mike Collins spoke out against it. Fears range from resource shortages to turning their quaint spot once famous for a celebrity buffet into a prison town. Plans that were set to kick off in April now look stalled. With new leadership at Homeland Security, they're reviewing policies, echoing nominee Mark Wayne Mullins calls a partner with communities. Similar fights are popping up nationwide from Michigan suing over a site near schools to block the New Hampshire. Local stay vigilant, whispering to officials for input during the review. For now, social circle breeze easier, holding onto that small town vibe a bit longer. That's your update from Global News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.