Our Collective Statement: Immigration Enforcement in Georgia
We, the Latinx Alliance, express deep concern about recent reports that Georgia is among the top states arresting non-criminal immigrants as they increase targeted immigration enforcement operations by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disproportionately affecting Latino communities in Georgia and across the United States.
We, the Latinx Alliance, express deep concern about recent reports that Georgia is among the top states arresting non-criminal immigrants as they increase targeted immigration enforcement operations by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disproportionately affecting Latino communities in Georgia and across the United States.
The Latinx Alliance, established in 2021 by a coalition of more than 250 leaders from across various regions of Georgia in business, philanthropy, nonprofit, and media sectors, believes that safety, dignity, and due process are fundamental rights that must be upheld for all individuals.
These actions, occurring within a broader national context of heightened immigration enforcement, are placing profound economic, social, and psychological strain on Latino communities, which in Georgia are majority citizens. Reports now include the detention of journalists, students, parents of veterans, and even U.S. citizens.
We cannot afford to ignore the cumulative harm these policies inflict not only on individuals but on the collective well-being of our state. Georgia's Latino communities have long been vital to the state’s economic growth, cultural richness, and social fabric. As detailed in the State of Latinos in Georgia Report and national studies, Latinos contribute more than $3.2 trillion annually to the U.S. GDP, have the highest workforce participation rate in Georgia, and are among the fastest-growing economic engines in the nation.
Georgia’s Latino community contributes $34 billion to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP), comparable to the entire economic output of the entire state of Vermont. The Latino community is a vital part of Georgia’s workforce, cultural identity, and civic life. Targeting undermines these contributions and makes communities less safe by fostering fear, division, and mistrust in institutions.
Georgia suffers when its immigrant communities are harmed. In 2011, when House Bill 87, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act, became law, the state experienced $300 million in lost crops, with potential losses nearing $1 billion for the agricultural season. It stands as a cautionary tale about the far-reaching economic consequences of anti-immigrant legislation.
Georgia now ranks as the second-largest state holding immigrant detainees as a non-border state, with a 54% increase in 2024.
These patterns not only destabilize families but threaten the social and economic fabric of our entire state. At a time when Latino communities continue to be essential drivers of Georgia’s workforce, economy, culture, and future growth, we must reexamine enforcement approaches that undermine our shared prosperity.
The Latinx Alliance remains committed to fostering dialogue, cultivating leadership, and creating opportunities that uplift and protect Georgia’s Latino population. We call on our state leaders—those entrusted with shaping policy and ensuring public safety, to uphold Georgia’s proud legacy as a state of opportunity and fairness.
Let us reaffirm our commitment to constitutional rights, due process, and human dignity, while never wavering in our duty to protect all residents. Public safety and human compassion are not opposing priorities. In fact, our communities are safest when they are united, respected, and empowered.
The Latinx Alliance stands ready to work alongside local and state leaders to pursue solutions that are just, humane, and grounded in our shared values. We believe a better Georgia is one where mercy and accountability coexist, where governance is strong yet compassionate, and where all who contribute to the well-being of our state are protected and respected.
Let us lead with courage. Let us govern with grace. And let us build a Georgia where safety, opportunity, and dignity are afforded to everyone.
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Sources:
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/high-cost-anti-immigrant-laws/ https://www.governing.com/urban/immigration-detainments-jump-more-than-50-percent-in-georgia
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/27/us/american-citizens-detained-ice-immigration
https://www.cpr.org/2025/06/18/college-student-detained-by-ice-mesa-county-granted-bond/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/24/trump-ice-immigration-alejandro-barranco