Protesters gather over possible ICE facility in Social Circle

Residents in Social Circle are raising concerns after what they believe may have been a visit from federal officials to a local warehouse that could potentially be used as an immigration detention facility.

(CNN)- Residents in Social Circle are raising concerns after what they believe may have been a visit from federal officials to a local warehouse that could potentially be used as an immigration detention facility.

Protester Gareth Fenley, who lives about nine miles from the warehouse on Knox Chapel Road, says she and others gathered Wednesday morning after receiving a late-night tip that the Department of Homeland Security was headed to the site.

“We heard they would be here at 9 a.m. We learned that late last night, and with almost no notice, in the rain on a cold day — a work day — we had 30 people out here protesting at 9 a.m.,” Fenley said.

Fenley’s group, Boldly Blue Indivisible, made signs and stood outside the property for more than an hour to oppose any potential detention facility coming to the area.

“We know ICE was here because there were 15 cars at a vacant warehouse where there’s usually nobody there, and people went inside and were touring the inside of the facility,” Fenley said.

City leaders have also voiced concerns. The mayor and city manager of Social Circle have said they do not want an ICE detention facility in their small city, citing infrastructure and public safety issues.

Fenley says opposition spans across political lines.

“Some are very, very conservative and actually support ICE in general, but they oppose this facility,” she said.

While it has not been confirmed that the site visit was connected to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Fenley says her group plans to continue monitoring the situation.