Why Atlanta ranks among the nation's top ICE enforcement zones

Georgia's ICE presence has surged — so much so Atlanta now ranks fifth nationally for immigration enforcement. Immigration arrests have nearly quadrupled this year just as Trump administration officials claim dangerous criminals are the main target. The numbers reveal something different. Seventy-six percent of those arrested have a criminal background, but advocates say the majority of those convictions are for traffic violations. Of those with criminal records deported by the ICE field office in Atlanta, 87% of them did not commit aggravated felonies. The AJC's Lautaro Grinspan breaks down how a new Georgia law fueled the rise in arrests and what this means for detention facilities across the state. Credits: AJC | Chatham County Police Department | @l.a.taco/TikTok | @angiem312/TikTok