Georgia Organizations Sound Alarm After ICE Raid in Marietta and Proposed Detention Expansion
Community advocates urge elected leaders to reject harmful enforcement tactics and protect immigrant communities
ATLANTA, GA — In the wake of a terrifying ICE raid at Luxx Nail Lounge in Marietta that left families reeling, workers traumatized, and entire communities gripped by fear, over 20 community, faith, labor, and advocacy organizations have come together to demand action. Representing hundreds of thousands of Georgia residents, these groups delivered a formal letter to federal, state, and local officials calling for urgent intervention and a halt to any expansion of ICE detention in Georgia. The emotional toll of this raid and continued attacks on immigrant communities across the state and country is rippling across our neighborhoods, as loved ones go missing, parents are afraid to go to work, and children wonder if their families will be torn apart next.
On June 4, ICE agents raided Luxx Nail Lounge in Marietta, detaining at least a dozen immigrants—many of them Asian and Latinx women working in the service industry. Advocates say the raid reflects a growing pattern of targeting immigrant-led businesses while ICE increases its detention footprint across the South.
Georgia will also soon be home to the largest ICE detention center in the country with last month’s approval to reopen the D. Ray James Correctional Facility and expand the Folkston ICE detention center – a center with a history of medical mistreatment, neglect, and abuse. Expanding a system already marred by documented abuses and due-process failures threatens the civil and human rights of countless Georgians.
“This raid is not an isolated incident, it’s part of a dangerous, escalating pattern targeting immigrant communities across Georgia and the country. From the reopening of detention facilities to the ramping up of ICE raids under Trump’s directive, we are witnessing a coordinated effort to spread fear, break families apart, and criminalize our communities. We cannot let that stand. We’re calling on our elected leaders to join us in creating a Georgia where every person can live with dignity and without fear of being targeted in their workplace or community,” said Ashna Khanna, Executive Director of the Asian American Advocacy Fund.
The sign-on letter calls on Georgia’s elected officials to:
Publicly condemn the June 4 ICE raid and stand with impacted communities
Change state law to allow local governments to limit cooperation with ICE
Oppose the reopening of D. Ray James Detention Center in Folkston, making Georgia home to the largest ICE detention facility in the nation.
Support protective legislation, such as HB 889 and HB 470, which restrict ICE access to public facilities and require agents to identify themselves, and oppose legislation HB 18 and SB 21, which would further criminalize immigrants and deepen state cooperation with ICE.
Engage directly—host public forums, listen to impacted communities, and commit to transparency and accountability
A sample statement was also included in the letter, encouraging elected officials to post publicly in solidarity:
“ICE raids do not make our communities safer. They target our local businesses, places of worship, neighbors, and coworkers. These are people who hold our communities together. We condemn these actions and stand in solidarity with those impacted. #GAagainstICE”
Every state legislator is up for re-election next fall—and with the next legislative session right around the corner, our communities are watching closely. This moment matters.
The organizations behind this letter emphasize that Georgia’s immigrant communities are not only essential to the state’s economy and culture—they are neighbors, caretakers, and small business owners who deserve to live without fear.
"We believe every Georgian deserves to live with dignity and without fear,” said Kyle Gomez-Leineweber, Director of Policy and Advocacy with GALEO Impact Fund. “Raids that have taken place in Marietta and throughout the state traumatize families, harm local economies, and have no place in a just and inclusive Georgia."
“We are deeply disturbed by the continual ICE raids that target our communities and tear families apart. These actions cause unnecessary chaos, uncertainty, and fear for the general public.” said Thông Phan, Advancing Justice-Atlanta’s Senior Policy Associate. “These ICE raids threaten the civil protections of everyone, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. We hope to work with policymakers and agencies to respond to the alarming expansion of ICE activities”.
"Immigrant communities across the state are being targeted and terrorized by ICE and the thoughtless raids they conduct”, said Adelina Nicholls, Executive Director at Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR). “They have no oversight and continue to abuse their power on vulnerable communities. We condemn the actions ICE has taken in our state and the expansion of Folkston Detention Center. ICE has no place in Georgia.
“We are very worried about the safety of immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking being caught up in these raids,” said Aparna Bhattacharyya, Executive Director of Raksha, Inc., a nonprofit, that serves survivors of violence. “We are not aware of any methods to screen or see if survivors have filed or are eligible for victim-related immigration relief. We are fearful how abusers will utilize current policies and ICE raids to control or deport the individuals they are abusing or exploiting. This is very dangerous and will keep survivors from reporting their abuse.”
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The Asian American Advocacy Fund is a grassroots organization dedicated to building power for Georgia’s Asian American communities through policy advocacy, electoral organizing, and community-led movements. The Advocacy Fund’s mission is to advocate for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians in Georgia. To learn more about AAAF, visit https://www.asianamericanadvocacyfund.org
Contact: media@asianamericanadvocacyfund.org