Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained more than 243,000 immigrants in fiscal year 2015 (FY2015).1 The detained immigrants are housed on behalf of ICE at a patchwork of public and private facilities across the country.
There are three immigration detention centers in Georgia. The two largest facilities are the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin and the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla.2 In fiscal year 2015, these two detention centers housed more than 11,000 inmates. Almost 8,500 people have been released from the facilities – or released – for various reasons. including deportation or dismissal of proceedings if the detainee obtains relief.
This analysis is based on data released by ICE in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for fiscal year 2015. She compares data from Stewart and Irwin County detention centers to national data. Data provided by ICE represents a partial fiscal year from October 1, 2014 to July 31, 2015 – the latest national and local data available from ICE.
Reasons for Final Release, Fiscal Year 2015
The analysis came to the following conclusions:
• Immigrants in Georgia detention centers are more likely to be deported from the United States than anywhere else. Nationwide, 60.3% of detainees were released for deportation in fiscal 2015. At the Stewart Detention Center, 87.1% of detainees were deported upon release. The Irwin County Detention Center also exceeded the national average: 75% of detainees were released for deportation.
• Immigrants in Georgia detention centers are far less likely to be released on bail than inmates anywhere in the country. Bails are set by either local ICE agents or by immigration judges at Stewart Detention Center or Atlanta Immigration Court. Nationally, 10.5% of those arrested have been released on bail. At the Stewart Detention Center, only 5.2% of inmates were released on bail. At the Irwin County Detention Center, it was 7.7% of detainees.
• Bail for immigrants detained in Georgia is much higher than the national average.3 Statewide, initial bail for detainees in fiscal 2015 was US$8,200. However, at the Stewart Detention Center, the average bail was 67% higher: $13,714, an inaccessibly high amount for the vast majority of detainees. At the Irwin County Detention Center, the average bail was 41% higher at $11,637.
• Immigrants in Georgia detention centers are far less likely to be released on a recognition order. Recognition orders are at ICE’s discretion. They allow detainees to be released without bail provided they comply with release conditions, including regular checks at ICE offices. Nationally, 12.2% of the detainees were released by order of recognition. In Stewart, only 0.7% of inmates received a recognition order in FY15. In Irwin it was 1.1% of the inmates.
• Immigrants in Georgia prisons are far less likely to be paroled. Federal regulations and Department of Homeland Security guidelines state that persons who have recently arrived in the country and have demonstrated to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or an immigration judge that they have a credible fear of persecution or torture and that they do not should parole be granted a flight or safety hazard.
Nationally, 5.8% of inmates received parole in fiscal year 2015. At Stewart, no inmates were granted parole in fiscal 2015, and at Irwin, only 0.2% were granted parole. Both Georgia facilities held individuals who had shown a credible fear of persecution or torture.
Source: All data analysis was performed by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Data courtesy of Human Rights Watch, which received the data set from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. For more information on these calculations, please contact Eunice Cho of the Southern Poverty Law Center, eunice.cho@splcenter.org. For more information on the full dataset, please contact Grace Meng of Human Rights Watch, mengg@hrw.org.
1 Fiscal 2015 data published by ICE covers a partial fiscal year from October 1, 2014 to July 31, 2015. The data provided by ICE for fiscal year 2015 is the most recent data available.
2 The Atlanta City Detention Center also holds immigrants; the average daily population is 61. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Detention Oversight Compliance Inspection, Atlanta City Detention Center (2012). Because of the size of this facility, only the Stewart and Irwin County detention centers were included in the SPLC’s analysis.
3 Detainees may be released on bail or bail of at least $1,500 if an ICE officer determines release would not pose a threat to the community and the individual was likely to appear for future trials. Detainees may request an immigration judge to review ICE’s custody decision.
4 No reason given for release. These numbers are not included in the percentage calculation.
