The Indicator from Planet Money

Why this rural town wants an ICE facility

February 19, 2026

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  • The Trump administration is aggressively expanding immigrant detention capacity, planning to spend over $38 billion on new and expanded facilities, often targeting small, economically depressed towns. 
  • The rural town of Folkestone, Georgia, is embracing the expansion of its ICE detention facility because the jobs and local revenue (about $1 million annually) provide a crucial economic lifeline to the impoverished community. 
  • Residents and local leaders in Folkestone exhibit a deep conflict, acknowledging the moral issues associated with detention while prioritizing the immediate economic benefits and job security offered by the facility, which is operated by the private corporation GEO Group. 

Segments

ICE Hiring and Detention Scale
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(00:00:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The Department of Homeland Security has added over 12,000 new ICE agents to support an aggressive crackdown, resulting in a record high of about 71,000 people currently in detention.
  • Summary: The federal agency ICE has seen a significant hiring boom, adding over 12,000 new agents since the previous year. This surge supports President Trump’s aggressive enforcement strategy. Currently, the number of people held in detention facilities has reached a record high of approximately 71,000 individuals.
Folkestone Economic Trade-Offs
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(00:00:57)
  • Key Takeaway: Rural communities like Folkestone, Georgia, are accepting large detention facilities as a necessary form of economic development due to limited local industry options.
  • Summary: The administration is expanding detention centers in small, economically depressed towns. Folkestone, Georgia, a community of nearly 5,000 people with high poverty rates, views the ICE facility as its primary option for economic growth. County administrator Glenn Hall explicitly linked supporting federal policy with the need for local investment like a hospital.
Facility Details and Local Impact
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(00:04:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The expansion of the Folkestone ICE facility, converted from a former state prison and run by GEO Group, added 200 jobs and provides the county and city with about $1 million annually.
  • Summary: The facility, previously a state prison, was converted to an immigration detention center by the GEO Group in 2017 and is currently undergoing expansion to increase capacity from 1,100 to 3,000 beds. This expansion created about 200 new jobs with hourly rates ranging from $18 to $50 for non-physician staff. The local government receives approximately $1 million from the expansion, which is considered a lifeline despite the $96 million contract GEO Group holds with the federal government.
Moral Conflict and Job Dependency
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(00:06:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Community members like Savannah Paula are morally opposed to supporting a system that detains individuals who have not committed crimes, yet recognize that the facility’s benefits and stable wages attract local job seekers.
  • Summary: Detainees voiced distress by shouting for help from the recreational area, prompting a conflicted reaction from local official Glenn Hall, who acknowledged the humanity of their situation. Folkestone native Savannah Paula advocates against the center on moral grounds, stating the community should not be tied to a system hurting black and brown bodies. However, she notes that the promise of good benefits and decent wages makes the detention center a reliable employment option for residents who do not pursue higher education or trades.
Policy Volatility and Future Outlook
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(00:08:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Local leaders understand that relying on detention centers is risky because immigration policy, and thus the facility’s future, can drastically change with each new presidential administration.
  • Summary: Savannah Paula argues that building a future on the detention center is precarious because immigration policy shifts every four years. Former county administrator Glenn Hall expressed hope that the prison might eventually close if border policies become stricter, but acknowledged this would result in fewer jobs for the county. Up to 24 new facilities are currently being planned by the Trump administration.