Democratic Lawmakers Call for Closure of Georgia ICE Detention Center After Oversight Visit
Democratic members of Congress, including Georgia Representatives Nikema Williams and Hank Johnson, Washington Representative Pramila Jayapal, North Carolina Representatives Valerie Foushee and Deborah Ross, and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, are advocating for the closure of the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. This call follows an oversight visit to the facility, during which lawmakers reported observing overcrowded cells and inadequate medical care. Representative Jayapal, ranking member of an immigration enforcement subcommittee, described the facility as 'one of the worst in the country,' citing a 2023 government report detailing substandard conditions. Lawmakers also stated that prison staff initially obstructed their oversight efforts and were unable or unwilling to provide information regarding the facility's capacity or the number of detainees without criminal convictions. The Stewart Detention Center, operated by the private company CoreCivic, has been under scrutiny, with reports of ...