It Could Happen Here – “Fighting ICE’s Warehouse Prisons”

Original Air Date: February 11, 2026
Host: James Stout (Cool Zone Media)
Guest: Sam Hamilton, Senior Litigation Staff Attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta

Episode Overview

This episode explores the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent proposals to detain immigrants in massive warehouse-converted prisons across the United States, with a focus on local organizing efforts in Georgia to oppose such facilities. James Stout interviews Sam Hamilton, who draws from direct experience fighting these expansions, and together, they break down the intersecting issues of community response, legal strategies, coalition-building, and the moral and environmental implications of these new detention centers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DHS and ICE's Warehouse Detention Plans

• Recent Leaks & Scale ([00:25]–[02:59])

  • In December 2025, a leaked list revealed ICE’s plans to open warehouse-style detention centers in about 20 U.S. cities, with Social Circle, GA, slated for a facility that could hold up to 8,500 people in a million-square-foot warehouse.
  • For perspective, the previously largest ICE facility in Georgia held around 3,000 people.

• Quote — On Scale and Severity

  "To jump from 3,000 to 8,500 is... yeah, it's massive, obviously."
  — Sam Hamilton, [02:35]

• Nature of Facilities

  • The host and guest label these as “concentration camps,” noting international media often used this term directly, while U.S. discourse stays more euphemistic.

  "Unless you're looking for a gate with 'Arbeit macht frei' on it or whatever, these are concentration camps."
  — James Stout, [02:59]

2. Community Reactions and Organizing in Social Circle, GA

• Local Shock and Demographics ([04:25]–[06:24])

  • The small, affluent, mostly white, Republican-leaning town was blindsided by the announcement through national media, without warning or consultation from ICE or the federal government.
  • Deep feelings of betrayal, even among lifelong Republicans.

• Organizing Challenges and Shifts

  • Many residents had no previous organizing experience but began to hold town hall meetings and invited outside experts, including Sam, based on his history of successful shutdown campaigns in Georgia.
  • The community’s initial motivator: concern over property values and local infrastructure strain.

• Quote — On Organizing Roots

  "A lot of them were upset about the decrease in their property value. That was what was really bringing them. Yeah, that was the radicalizing moment."
  — Sam Hamilton, [09:40]

• Infrastructure Concerns

  • The city’s capacity—small police and fire departments, limited sewage/water capacity—makes such an expansion especially disastrous.

3. Differences Between Social Circle and Previous Anti-Detention Campaigns

• Social Circle Distinctions ([10:56]–[13:44])

  • Unlike other communities where economic incentives convinced reluctant locals, Social Circle stands out for not needing the economic 'benefits' federal contracts might provide.
  • ICE's warehouse purchase bypassed local government input and usual intergovernmental service agreements.

• Quote — On Federal Overreach

  "Some of the local officials...think the supremacy clause governs here and the federal government can do whatever it wants. So there's no point in us trying...'cause there's nothing we can do."
  — Sam Hamilton, [13:23]

4. Strategies for Resistance and Building Coalitions

• Local and Legal Tactics ([14:49]–[17:28])

  • Residents organize weekly demonstrations at the warehouse site; local media coverage is increasing.
  • Use of local zoning laws, seeking public oversight, and leveraging connections with Republican lawmakers (e.g., getting Rep. Mike Collins to oppose the facility).
  • Following legislative models from Maryland to block or delay warehouse prisons, while recognizing the limitations of legal strategies alone.

• Quote — On Coalition Tactics

  "We can agree we’re not going to have 100% unity of ideas, but we can have a unity of action."
  — Sam Hamilton, [16:37]

• Labor/Environmental Angles

  • Identifying and connecting with construction and labor groups to potentially refuse cooperation with ICE contracts.
  • Environmental challenges: potential for legal delays via the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), challenging strain on water and sewage systems ([23:09]).

  "What would the environmental impact...be on local waterways? That’s what temporarily put a stop on the detention facility in the Everglades in Florida—a legal challenge in federal court under NEPA."
  — Sam Hamilton, [23:09]

5. Learning from Past Activism and Harm Reduction

• Ecological and Social Precedents ([24:31]–[26:07])

  • Parallels with successful challenges to border wall construction via indigenous land and environmental rights; even temporary delays are meaningful harm reduction.

  "All these different tools had to work together to mean that in that little part of the border, somebody's great great grandparents’ remains weren't dynamited...that's still a good thing."
  — James Stout, [25:38]

6. Inter-Community and Cross-Political Learning

• Coalition Building Across Divides ([26:06]–[29:14])

  • Collaboration between traditional immigrant rights activists and newly radicalized conservatives.
  • Harnessing “NIMBY” (Not in My Backyard) energy for abolitionist goals, while also pushing newcomers beyond narrow self-interest.

  "Oftentimes it’s people with capital and connections that you might not otherwise have had access to...the connecting and...organizing needs to go in multiple directions."
  — Sam Hamilton, [28:41]

• Quote — On Respect and Speed

  "That means it's also important to move respectfully. Because if we just blow each other up because people assume that migrant communities have somehow not been advocating for themselves and each other for centuries, then we're not going to have time to organize because we're going to be dealing with that shit."
  — James Stout, [29:14]

7. Abolitionist Messaging and the Big Picture

• Beyond Resistance: Push for Abolition ([30:02]–[31:18])

  • ICE is a relatively new agency (since 2003) with a long track record of harm; the fight must not only block new warehouses but work to abolish ICE entirely.
  • Caution against viewing the Biden/Trump distinction or reverting to “normal” as sufficient; the system has always produced suffering.

  "We need to be fighting for shutting down all ICE facilities and for abolishing ICE as an institution."
  — Sam Hamilton, [30:32]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Concentration Camp Comparison

  "To them it seems so self evident—now we're just doing it on an even bigger scale...It's, it's, it's shit."
  — James Stout, [02:59]

• On Coalition Pragmatism

  "We can agree that we're not going to have 100% unity of ideas, but we can have a unity of action..."
  — Sam Hamilton, [16:37]

• On Building Bridges with Unlikely Allies

  "Some of these people, I mean, yeah, like they...they've been card carrying Republicans for a long time and feel that they, you know, can wield influence over certain Republican elected officials."
  — Sam Hamilton, [17:59]

• On Respecting Existing Advocacy

  "...assuming that migrant communities have somehow not been advocating for themselves and each other for centuries, then we're not going to have time to organize because we're going to be dealing with that shit."
  — James Stout, [29:14]

Actionable Advice & Closing Thoughts

What Can Listeners Do? ([27:24])

• If you’re already an organizer (on immigration or not), now is the time to act (“all hands on deck”).
• Always connect with existing local immigrant rights movements before launching new campaigns—don’t assume you’re first on the ground.
• Use both newcomer (“NIMBY”) energy and the wisdom/capacity of entrenched advocacy for maximum effect, but move quickly and collaboratively.

On Abolition and the Long-Term View ([30:02])

• Push for the abolition of ICE, not just for blocking the worst expansions.
• Be vigilant that even “old normal” was unjust—temporary reforms are not enough.
• The movement should build coalitions that last, with an eye to both immediate resistance and long-haul liberation.

"We will be around after ICE as, you know, as an agency. ICE has only been around since 2003."
— Sam Hamilton, [30:41]

For those wanting to get involved or learn more:

• Find and connect to existing local organizations (see episode’s posted resources for links).
• Read more about affected communities via the Washington Post investigative report referenced in the episode.
• Learn from the approaches in Maryland and Florida, where legal/environmental angles have played a role.
• Explore abolitionist-oriented immigrant advocacy groups.

Summary authored for clarity, flow, and accessibility to new listeners; all quotes accurately attributed and timestamped.