Developing: ICE begins arrests in the Atlanta metro area. Here is what we know.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested multiple people across the metro Atlanta region on Sunday. Though it’s not clear how many people were taken into custody locally, ICE agents arrested 956 people nationwide on Sunday. The daily average when former President Joe Biden was in office was 311.

Aceli Zenil, cofounder of Amigos de la Comunidad, a nonprofit that supports families living in the Buford Highway corridor, told 285 South that community members reported witnessing arrests in at least two apartment complexes on Buford Highway, and that the arrests appeared to be targeted. “They’re taking people. They already had the names and everything.” 

Amigos has canceled their weekly clothing drive today, she said, because “a lot of people don’t want to go out. They feel like something is going to happen.” Aceli’s not sure when the organization will resume its clothing drives—which provide an opportunity for low-income immigrants in the Buford Highway area to pick up free items like jackets, children’s clothes, and school supplies—but when they do start up again, she said they don’t plan to disclose the address on the flyer.

Two other sources told 285 South that the arrests were targeted—ICE set off the alarm on at least two people’s ankle monitors, and then made the arrests. Ankle monitors, or electronic monitoring devices, are placed on some people awaiting appearances in immigration court, including for removal proceedings; the Biden administration had embraced their use as an alternative to detention for those deemed not to present a flight or safety risk.

Sources reported that family members and others around were not questioned about their immigration status when the arrests were made. 

Both Gwinnett County and DeKalb County schools put out statements reassuring parents of their commitment to all students’ safety. “Considering recent federal actions, I want to assure you that the Board of Education and I remain committed to the safety and success of all students in the DeKalb County School District,” said superintendent Devon Horton in a message to families.

The City of Brookhaven released a statement on the ICE arrests over the weekend, saying that “Brookhaven Police were not contacted for their assistance in these raids over the weekend,” and went on to say the city is “committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all residents.” Updated 1/28/25.

Bryan Mock, mayor of Chamblee, also said the city wasn’t contacted by ICE beforehand.  “We did not know they were coming to Chamblee, and we were not asked to participate in any way. Local law enforcement was not involved. They were not on scene,” he told WSB in an interview. Updated 1/28/25.

Here are some of the locations where the arrests happened or community members reported seeing ICE officers: 

• Telemundo Atlanta reported an ICE arrest at the Fuente de Vida Church in Tucker. Minister Luis Ortiz said ICE agents took a man from Honduras into custody. He had been participating in a religious service with around 70 other parishioners. ICE agents didn’t enter the church, according to Ortiz, because of a security system that requires a code to access the building. “That was what prevented the agents from entering the church,” Ortiz told Telemundo Atlanta.

• Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara, who has been tracking and reporting on ICE raids since the last Trump administration, posted videos to his Facebook page of ICE officers making targeted arrests at Norcross and Douglasville on Sunday. He also reported seeing ICE agents at an apartment complex in Tucker today (Monday).

• ICE agents arrested 52-year-old Walter Valladares at his home in Lilburn on Sunday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His brother Edwin told the news outlet that he had been in the U.S. for about a year and a half ago and didn’t have a criminal record, aside from a minor traffic violation. He was reportedly in the process of seeking asylum. 

• The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Atlanta posted photos on X of immigration enforcement operations in the Cartersville and Atlanta metro areas. 

Here’s how local immigrant groups are responding:

• The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) is looking for volunteers to help with documenting ICE arrests and educating community members about their rights. More details here. Also, they have a hotline (770-457-5232) operating Mon-Fri from 9 am to 5 pm. 
• CASA Georgia has launched an ICE tip hotline. Community members are encouraged to call 1-888-214-6016 if they see ICE in their neighborhood. 
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice shared “Know Your Rights” cards that explain, in 12 languages, what protections people have if immigration agents show up at their door;. Digital copies are available here; to obtain a physical copy of the mini-card, contact AAAJ at 404-585-8446.
• Prensa Atlanta and Amigos de la Comunidad Georgia are hosting an open forum on Saturday so community members can ask a local lawyer and immigration advocate their questions. More info here.
• On a nationwide level, the National Immigration Project is hosting a 1.5 hour virtual training on Wednesday for anyone interested in learning about what’s changed in the last week and how families can prepare themselves in case of arrest. Registration here.​

We will be updating this story as we get more information.