ATLANTA — Georgia immigrant rights advocates gathered outside the Atlanta ICE Field Office on Thursday, calling for the complete shutdown of the Folkston ICE Processing Center and pushing back against a controversial proposal to dramatically expand its capacity.

“We are here demanding that the county, that the administration stops any efforts to expand the Folkston detention center.” Amilcar Valencia of El Refugio said. “This is going to affect not only the community in South Georgia, but the whole community throughout the state of Georgia.”

Thursday’s rally came in anticipation of a vote by the Charlton County Board of Commissioners to approve a contract modification with ICE that would greenlight the expansion. That vote was originally scheduled for June 5 but has since been postponed

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