In today’s post I’ll be going over some statistics and give my personal opinions on ICE activity in Georgia. In 2025 Georgia saw the 4th most ICE arrests nationwide, 8,742 to be exact. Logistically this makes sense, Georgia is a very ethnically diverse state and its large migrant population includes many illegals for ICE to target. While there may be some benefits when it comes to deportation it also weakens community trust and has already had massive economic impacts on Georgia. The recent Hyundai factory raid in Savannah is a great example of this. Over 450 people were detained by ICE at the Savannah factory because they were suspected of being in the United States illegally. While a few chose to stay behind, the large majority of South Korean workers there decided to return home. This raid was widely seen as a massive mistake, even by republicans in Georgia such as governor Brian Kemp. This is because of the massive economic gains Georgia would’ve received if this factory had been allowed to be built.  

Just by having that Hyundai factory in Savannah there would’ve been an influx of job opportunities, investments in the surrounding land by competitors, and a stronger economic tie to South Korea, which is the U.S.’s largest foreign direct investor. Personally, I do not support ICE because of the numerous cases of inhumane treatment of illegals under their custody. People often claim that illegals are “stealing jobs” and hurt our economy, and yet by deporting so called “illegals” Georgia has taken one of its largest economic blows in years. Additionally, by having a large ICE presence in Georgia many companies that employ immigrants, both legal and non-legal are far more likely to avoid investing in our state. When it comes to how this will affect the upcoming midterm elections, I believe that it will worsen the chances of republican candidates winning in the upcoming midterms due to their association with ICE. As always, stay healthy and keep an eye out for more insights here on Partisan Observations!