Brookhaven residents press council to address ICE activity and local economic impacts

Residents at the March 10 Brookhaven City Council meeting urged the council to address immigration enforcement activity they say is harming local businesses and worker safety.

Erica, a Waffle House worker and union member, described witnessing masked officers detain a worker near Buford Highway and said her store has seen a decline in business and hours since the current federal administration’s increased enforcement. She said she and coworkers witnessed multiple enforcement actions near their store and asked the council to budget a market study to measure how businesses along Buford Highway have been affected. She also urged council members to use their federal contacts to seek legislation requiring immigration agents to identify themselves.

Brianna Patterson, a service worker, said she was concerned by language from Mayor Pro Tem John Fanny at a prior meeting and asked whether that language demonstrates support for Brookhaven’s Latino community, which she noted is about 21% of the city’s population.

In response to public comment, the Brookhaven police chief told the council the department has not been asked to assist with immigration enforcement in the city and has not participated in immigration enforcement actions to date. The chief said local officers would respond to calls for mutual aid if federal law‑enforcement activity created a public‑safety need, but emphasized that state law (as referenced in the meeting by name as House Bill 1105) imposes cooperation obligations in Georgia and that Brookhaven has not been directed to violate the law.

The council did not adopt a motion at the meeting to commission the requested economic study or to place immigrant‑advocacy groups on the agenda for a town‑hall format; public commenters were told how to file comment cards and that the council listens to input for future consideration.