For months, two neighbors, Democrat Gareth Fenley and conservative John Miller, have united in their daily mission against the proposed detention center in Social Circle, Georgia. Every morning, they drive to an empty warehouse that's part of a plan by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to open new immigration detention centers. Although a traditionally conservative town that usually supports tough immigration policies, residents have expressed serious concerns about resources, as the detention center would triple the town's population.

City Manager Eric Taylor shut off the water supply to prevent the ICE facility from accessing the town's limited resources, a move representative of the residents' resistance. Despite the warehouse's purchase by ICE for $130 million, local protests and appeals have put the project on pause, reflecting a broader trend of communities nationwide opposing similar ICE initiatives. Residents feel they do not have the infrastructure to support such an influx of detainees, particularly regarding water supply and sewage systems, and they argue for more humane treatment of those in immigrant detention.

Lastly, the town is hopeful as newly appointed DHS leaders hinted at potential reviews of the projects, giving the community some breathing room to voice their concerns.