New ICE detention center; HIV prevention medication; Affordable housing

Summary

Georgia Today – February 13, 2026

Host: Peter Biello, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Episode Theme:
This episode focuses on community responses to a new ICE detention center in Social Circle, state legislation expanding access to HIV prevention medication, and Democratic proposals for affordable housing in Georgia. Additional state and local news rounds out the episode, including updates on taxation, a high-profile trial, the Port of Brunswick, and preparations for legal gambling.

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1. New ICE Detention Center in Social Circle

Overview:
Plans for a new immigrant detention center in Social Circle, Georgia, have sparked significant local opposition. The Department of Homeland Security has purchased a large warehouse to use as a detention facility for up to 10,000 people, despite concerns from residents and city officials about infrastructure and quality of life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights:

• Warehouse Details & Purchase:

  • DHS finalized the purchase of a 1-million-square-foot warehouse near Interstate 20, about 50 miles east of Atlanta, for $129 million. (01:07–01:43)

• City Concerns – Infrastructure Overload:

  • City Manager Eric Taylor expressed the city cannot support the facility due to limited infrastructure, not political objections to immigration enforcement.
  • Quote: "This is not something hands down that the city can support."
    — Eric Taylor, City Manager (01:43)
  • Quote: "The frustration here is that they're looking at a building that was not built for human habitation, is nothing more than a shell of a building."
    — Eric Taylor (02:09)
  • The city’s water permit only allows for one million gallons a day, already maxed out during summer months. (02:17–02:26)
  • The detention center could "triple our population overnight" if it houses 10,000 people as planned. (02:32)

• Federal Response and Local Representation:

  • Republican U.S. House Rep. Mike Collins is the only Georgia official to have spoken directly with DHS about the plan.
  • Quote: "I fully support ICE 100%."
    — Rep. Mike Collins (02:51)
  • Collins says although he supports ICE, the facility is a poor fit for Social Circle, but remains optimistic if DHS collaborates with local officials.
  • Quote: "As long as DHS comes in there and sits down and says this is what we found, this is how we're going to operate this and takes care of any of the concerns…and make sure that they don't impact them negatively, then they'll be able to operate that facility."
    — Rep. Mike Collins (03:09)

• Resident Concerns – Community Impacts:

  • A nearby elementary school's proximity to the site has parents worried about safety and aesthetics.
    • Quote: "Are they going to put a 16-foot barbed wire fence up that the kids have to see every day?"
      — Anonymous mother, resident and real estate agent (03:34)
  • Social media discourse and fear of becoming a "prison town" is driving local real estate anxiety.
    • Quote: "I've had calls for people wanting to sell their homes. They're worried about becoming a prison town and that nobody's going to want to live in Social Circle."
      — Same resident (04:00)

• Political Responses:

  • Senator Raphael Warnock has filed an amendment to block construction or expansion of detention centers in Social Circle and Oakwood, though its impact is unclear given the completed sale. (04:21)

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2. Affordable Housing Legislation

Overview:
Democratic lawmakers in the Georgia House have unveiled a suite of bills aimed at making homeownership and rental housing more affordable.

Key Initiatives:

• Leveling the Field for Homebuyers:

  • Proposed Bill: House Bill 1252, sponsored by Rep. Phil Olaye, would give families and owner-occupants first priority over large institutional investors for newly-listed single-family homes.
    • Quote: "Before a large institutional investor can buy a newly listed single family home, those families or that owner occupied buyer would have first dip."
      — Rep. Phil Olaye (09:08)

• Additional Housing Measures:

  • Removing zoning restrictions that bar second dwellings on properties.
  • Banning AI-driven price fixing on rental websites.
  • Exempting some public servants from paying homestead property tax. (09:18–09:37)

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3. HIV Prevention Medication Expansion

Overview:
Georgia legislators have moved forward with a bipartisan bill to improve access to HIV-prevention medications (PrEP and PEP) by enabling pharmacists to prescribe and administer these drugs directly.

Key Points:

• Senate Bill 195 Details:

  • Allows pharmacists to prescribe and administer pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), reducing dependence on primary care providers.
  • Quote: "Pharmacies are often the most accessible health care point...open longer hours, close to where people live, and already trusted."
    — Rep. Carla Drenner, Avondale Estates Democrat (09:55)

• Impact:

  • Aims to address provider shortages in both rural and urban parts of Georgia.
  • Responds to high rates of HIV diagnosis: Georgians are diagnosed at twice the national rate.
  • Bill passed the House 155–7 and goes to the Senate. (10:15)

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4. Additional Key News Segments

• Colin Gray Trial (04:55–05:42):

  • Colin Gray, accused of providing the weapon used in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting, will stand trial in Hall County due to concerns about impartiality in Barrow County.

• State Senate Tax Bill (05:42–06:19):

  • Senate Bill 476 would eliminate state income tax on the first $50,000 (single filers) or $100,000 (joint filers).
    • Quote: "That's the cost of childcare for three months. It's the cost of rent for three to six months."
      — Sen. Blake Tillery (06:01)
    • Opposition concerns the benefits are skewed toward higher earners.
      • Quote: "The only people who we're putting $5,000 back in their pockets are the people who make over six figures."
        — Sen. Kim Jackson, Democrat (06:12)

• Elections Update (06:19–07:07):

  • Fulton County Board of Elections defends its process after the FBI seized 700 boxes of 2020 ballots; board votes to challenge the seizure in court.

• Port of Brunswick Dredging (07:07–08:07):

  • $17 million project to restore port depth and complement $100 million terminal expansion, supporting status as the top U.S. gateway for auto and heavy equipment shipments.

• Macon Casino Preparations (08:07–08:25):

  • Macon-Bibb County grants a 10-year purchase option for a casino development at the old Macon Mall site, contingent on potential legalization of gambling.

• Flu and Respiratory Illness Update (10:15–11:05):

  • Flu hospitalizations are down; a total of 140 flu-related deaths since October, mainly among the elderly. Free shots remain available at health clinics.

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5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Unintended Local Consequences:

  • “A detention center next to my child’s school was not on my ballot. That wasn’t what I voted for.”
    — Social Circle mother and real estate agent (03:47)

• On Election Integrity:

  • “Our responsibility is not to engage in those debates. Our responsibility is to get it right.”
    — Katherine Glenn, Chief Registration Manager, Fulton County (06:48)

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6. Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:36 – ICE detention center background and local reactions begin
• 01:07 – Details about the warehouse purchase
• 01:43 – City manager voices opposition
• 02:51 – Rep. Collins comments
• 03:34 – Resident concerns
• 04:21 – Warnock’s amendment
• 08:49 – Housing affordability bills
• 09:37 – HIV prevention bill coverage
• 05:42, 06:07, 06:12 – Income tax bill debate
• 06:48 – Fulton County elections
• 07:07 – Port of Brunswick update
• 08:07 – Macon casino site
• 10:15 – Flu season update

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Summary:
This episode of Georgia Today highlights the friction between federal immigration policy and small-town infrastructure in Social Circle, new strides in HIV prevention access, and legislative fights over making housing and taxes more equitable in Georgia. The reporting is grounded, detailed, and laced with direct local voices, providing a clear picture of state concerns and debates heading into 2026.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, residents of the city of Social Circle say they are not happy about plans for a new ICE detention facility. Georgia lawmakers passed legislation to boost access to HIV prevention medication and to make housing in Georgia more affordable. Some lawmakers say they need to level.

[B]

The playing field before a large institutional investor can buy a newly listed single family home. Those families or that owner occupied buyer would have first dip.

[A]

Today is Friday, February 13th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. The Department of Homeland Security is looking for real estate. Communities across the country have been shocked to learn that DHS wants to use warehouses in their towns for detention space amid the ongoing immigration crackdown. And that includes warehouses in the northeast Georgia city of Oakwood and 45 minutes to the south in the city of social circle. As GPB's Grant Blankenship reports, people in Social Circle are not at all happy with the idea.

[C]

The warehouse 50 miles east of Atlanta near Interstate 20 is not much to look at. It's really just a box, an over 1 million square foot gray box dotted with semi trailer loading docks. It's built to be a distribution center. While attempts by the Department of Homeland Security to lease or buy properties like this in other states have fallen apart, this one is a done deal. A sales deed shows the federal government paid just under $129 million for the space. Eric Taylor really wishes they hadn't.

[D]

This is not something hands down that the city can support.

[C]

Taylor is the city manager for the city of Social circle, population about 5,000, which now includes the Homeland Security warehous which will be used to hold detained immigrants. And he says politically this shouldn't be a problem.

[D]

Social circle went approximately 73% in favor of Donald Trump in the last election.

[C]

This opposition is not about the immigration crackdown. It's about infrastructure.

[D]

The frustration here is that they're looking at a building that was not built for human habitation, is nothing more than a shell of a building.

[C]

He says DHS won't answer his calls, but if they did, he would tell them the the city doesn't have enough drinking water.

[D]

The permit we have to draw water out of the river is only a million gallons a day.

[C]

Taylor says in the heat of Georgia, summer residents will use right up to that limit. Now toss in a nice detention center.

[D]

Triples our population overnight if it holds.

[C]

Up to 10,000 people as planned. DHS did not respond to our request for comment, but that figure comes from Republican Mike Collins, Social Circle's representative in the U.S. house and apparently the the only Georgia elected official who's managed to talk directly to DHS about their plans.

[B]

And I fully support ICE 100%.

[C]

That's Collins talking to reporters during a recent trip to the Georgia State Capitol building. Collins is running against Democrat Jon ossoff for the U.S. senate. Collins says he agrees with people like City Manager Eric Taylor that the detention center is a bad fit for the town, but he says there's still room to make it work.

[B]

I think that as long as DHS comes in there and sits down and says this is what we found, this is how we're going to operate this and takes care of any of the concerns with the local officials there to make sure that they don't impact them negatively, then they'll be able to operate that facility.

[C]

Residents have their doubts, like this mother whose child attends the local elementary school less than a mile from the ICE warehouse.

[E]

Are they going to put a 16 foot barbed wire fence up that the kids have to see every day?

[C]

We're not using her name because of her fear of community blowback, but she says she's tired of the told you so comments on social media about her neighbors.

[E]

Like you guys vote no. A detention center next to my child's school was not on my ballot. That wasn't. That wasn't what I voted for.

[C]

She's also a real estate agent and the warehouse sale is already keeping her busy.

[E]

I've had calls for people wanting to sell their homes. They're worried about becoming a prison town and that nobody's going to want to live in Social Circle.

[C]

Representative Collins says DHS plans to detain people in the Social Circle warehouse as soon as April. Meanwhile, city officials are still waiting to talk directly to the Department of Homeland Security. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship and.

[A]

Social Circle Senator Raphael Warnock has filed an amendment to the continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security that would prohibit the construction, renovation and expansion of warehouses that will serve as detention centers in Social Circle in Oakwood. The amendment also prohibits acquisition of such a facility, but it is unclear if that would matter in the case of Social Circle, where the purchase was finalized earlier this month. The trial of Colin Gray, the father of the accused Apalachee High School shooter, will begin on Monday after a jury was selected this week. In neighboring Hall County, GPB's Chase McGhee has more.

[F]

Both prosecutors and Gray's attorneys agreed to choose from a pool of jurors in hall county, citing concerns that a jury put together in Barrow county would bring their own biases to the case. Kay Levine is a professor of law at Emory University. She says it's not unusual to see this happen in cases that get a lot of attention.

[E]

Lots of people who live in the community, they may have heard some side commentary about the people who are involved. Prosecutors and defense attorneys and the judge need to make sure that the only evidence that the jurors are going to hear is the evidence that is produced in court.

[F]

Colin Gray is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly providing his son the rifle used to kill two teachers and two students at Apalachee High School in September of 2024. For GPB News, I'm Chase McGee.

[A]

The state Senate has passed a bill aimed at eliminating the income tax for some Georgians. Senate Bill 476 would make the first $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for joint filers tax free. The bill's sponsor, Vidalia Republican Blake Tillery, said it would save taxpayers an average of $5,000.

[C]

That's the cost of child care for three months. It's the cost of rent for three to six months.

[A]

Democrats, including Stone Mountain State Senator Kim Jackson, ran, were skeptical about the math.

[E]

The only people who we're putting $5,000 back in their pockets are the people who make over six figures.

[A]

The bill would pay for the income tax cuts by getting rid of some corporate tax breaks. Republicans pushed it through yesterday on a party line vote. The bill now moves to the State House for more consideration. Fulton County's Board of Elections met yesterday for the first time since the FBI seized roughly 700 boxes of 2020 ballots last month. Elections staff defended the county's work to maintain current voter registration records. Chief registration Manager Katherine Glenn was emotional while addressing board members.

[C]

There are many voices competing interests surrounding voter registration, some advocating for removals, others advocating for expanded access. Our responsibility is not to engage in those debates. Our responsibility is to get it right.

[A]

Board members also voted to ratify a lawsuit challenging the FBI seizure. Republican State Senator Greg Dolezal is calling for a possible state takeover of Fulton county elections Dredging is underway in the shipping channel at the Port of Brunswick, the Georgia Ports Authority said yesterday. The $17 million project is aimed at restoring the channel to its authorized depth for ship safety and efficiency. The Port of Brunswick became the nation's busiest gateway for autos and heavy equipment in 2024, handling more than 900,000 units of roll on, roll off cargo once the dredging is completed. As expected this summer. It will be the first time since at least 2010 that the channel has been at its authorized depth. The project is expected to complement a $100 million expansion at the port's Colonel's island terminal. Maconbib county is laying the foundation for a potential casino on the site of an Old Mall department store. The county's Urban Development Authority yesterday gave a 10 year purchase option on the property to Pennsylvania based gaming company glpi. Macon Mayor Lester Miller says the county is preparing for the possibility of legalized gambling.

[B]

The State of Georgia has to determine whether or not they're going to allow.

[A]

Casinos, but certainly if they do and Middle Georgia has chosen as that site.

[B]

This company would have the exclusive right to use that property there.

[A]

State lawmakers have discussed casinos for years, but so far legislation hasn't made it over the finish line. GLPI intends to demolish the old JCPenney at the Macon Mall to redevelop the site. Democrats in the Georgia House have released their plans to help reduce the cost of housing. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports the legislation proposed yesterday addresses a wide range of affordability issues.

[G]

Affordability is the buzzword during this year's legislative session, and the Democrats have their own plan to reduce costs of both homeownership and and renting. One of the bills in the plan is House Bill 1252, sponsored by Representative Phil Olaye, that would give Georgians a leg up over investor firms when buying a home.

[B]

Before a large institutional investor can buy a newly listed single family home, those families or that owner occupied buyer would have first dip.

[G]

Other bills in the package include removing zoning restrictions that ban building a second dwelling on a property that banning AI price fixing on rental websites and exempting some public servants from paying homestead property tax. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis at the State Capitol.

[A]

The Georgia House has passed legislation aimed at increasing access to HIV prevention medication. Senate Bill 195 would allow pharmacists to prescribe and administer the pre exposure drugs known as prep and pep. Avondale Estates Democrat Carla Drenner says patients no longer would need to find a primary care provider for a prescription.

[E]

Communities with provider shortages and in urban communities where appointment demands exceed capacity. Pharmacies are often the most accessible health care point in both places, open longer hours close to where people live and.

[A]

Already trusted Georgians are diagnosed with HIV at twice the national rate. That's according to data from the nonpartisan Health Research and Policy Institute KFF representatives passed the bill 155 to 7. It now moves to the state Senate for more consideration. Flu hospitalizations mostly have tapered off after a busy respiratory illness season. That's according to the latest data from the Georgia Department of Public Health, including cases through the end of January. A total of 140 flu related deaths have been reported since October, most of them among people 65 years and older. The state still is seeing a high level of activity for all influenza like illness that includes outpatient visits for RSV and Covid shots to protect against respiratory viruses are available at local public health departments regardless of a person's ability to pay.

[H]

Hi, it's Terry Gross, host of FRESH AIR. Hey, take a break from the 24 hour news cycle with us and listen to long form interviews with your favorite authors, actors, filmmakers, comedians and musicians. The people making the art that nourishes us and speaks to our times. So listen to the FRESH AIR podcast from NPR and whyy.

[A]

There will be spring like temperatures all across Georgia this weekend, from the upper 50s in Blue Ridge to 60 in Macon and touching 70 degrees in Valdosta. Nice weather to get out of the house and enjoy your community. Some of the festivals you can find across the state include the Lunar New Year Festival at Stone Mountain Park, Valdosta's first annual Mardi Gras Festival. Helen will be hosting a Mardi Gras festival as well. Blue ridge has its 15th annual Fire and Ice Chili Cook off and Dublin, Georgia will kick off its months long St Patrick's Day Festival tomorrow. That is a wrap on today's edition of Georgia Today. Thank you so much for tuning in. We hope you have a great weekend planned. Check out gpb.org news for updates to any of the stories on the podcast today or for the latest headlines. And remember, if you've got feedback or perhaps a story idea that we should know about, send it to us by email. The address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening and have a great weekend.