Amid rising fear and concern surrounding Immigration Customs Control (ICE) presence in Georgia, lawmakers in the Georgia Senate introduced a package of bills on Jan. 13 to regulate ICE agent conduct in Georgia. ICE presence has significantly impacted Georgia: the state has the fourth-highest ICE detention rate in the country and will soon begin construction on two new ICE detention centers. These Senate bills follow weeks of protests demanding civil rights protections, including the Paideia School walkout.
The third proposed bill, SB 398, includes provisions banning the use of face masks and requires all ICE agents to wear clearly visible identification badges. These measures would allow citizens to identify and report agents violating the law and would inhibit any intimidation tactics deployed. The acting director of ICE, Todd Lyons, insists face masks are necessary to prevent doxxing, stating, “if [masks are] a tool [for] the men and women of ICE to keep themselves and their families safe, then I’ll allow it.”
But students see the issue differently: “ICE agents covering their faces shows me they know they’re doing something wrong and they’re trying to hide it,” says Annie Marquardt ’28, “We have no idea who is supposed to be ‘protecting’ our country.” This bill would mandate that ICE agents must act in accordance with the same regulations as state law enforcement concerning masks and badges.
These bills arose partially in response to ICE presence disrupting the personal affairs of Georgians. Hollis Wilson ’27 volunteers at Morningside Elementary, where ICE vehicles have been seen. “One day the fire alarm went off and the older kids were spreading rumors that it was an ICE raid,” Wilson recounted, “I had a little girl, a six year old, clinging to me, scared that someone was coming to get her.” SB 391 requires all federal agencies, including ICE, to obtain judicial warrants to conduct immigration-related affairs in public places such as hospitals, libraries, schools and places of worship. Such provisions would protect access to healthcare and schooling without fear of ICE involvement.
Senator Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs introduced SB 397, which allows citizens to sue ICE agents for breach of conduct. This bill aims to hold ICE agents accountable for violating the law and acting outside the scope of their responsibilities. Sen. McLaurin cited the murder of Renee Good as an example: “We’ve all seen the video. Obviously, the officer did what he was not trained to do, which was step in front of the car, escalate.”
Although these bills have a slim likelihood of passing due to GOP opposition, they represent the greater struggle to limit federal law enforcement and military power. The Trump administration has deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland in an unprecedented show of federal power. Concerning future ICE and National Guard activity, Georgia’s fate remains in question.
