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Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms highlighted her past move to cut ties with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2018 as mayor of Atlanta, prompting a strong rebuke from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday.
As Bottoms gave the keynote speech at a Democratic fundraiser in Dalton, Georgia, the former Biden official, now running for governor in the Peach State, spoke about refusing to cooperate with ICE during President Donald Trump’s first term.
In her speech, she recalled her musician father’s struggle with addiction, saying that her first tour around Georgia was visiting him at various prisons. She said this helped teach her the value of “seeing the humanity in people” even those who have made mistakes or “had a different pathway to this country.”
“When I was mayor of Atlanta, when ICE had the family separation policy in our state, in our nation, I made the decision to end our multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement with ICE because all money ain’t good money,” Bottoms said. “And when we did that, other cities followed, counties followed, other states followed and it made a difference.”
DEMOCRAT MAYOR BLASTED BY DHS FOR ‘HUNTING DOWN’ PROPERTY OWNERS LEASING TO ICE: ‘UNHINGED’
Georgia Democratic nominee for Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms participates in a Fireside Chat during the 2026 National Association Of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention & Career Fair at Atlanta Marriott Marquis on August 14, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Nykieria Chaney/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to DHS, and the department offered a scathing response to her statement.
“The only difference this anti-law enforcement, pro-criminal illegal alien, former mayor made was to obstruct federal immigration laws, making Atlanta-area communities a hotbed for illegal immigration on her watch,” a spokesperson for DHS said.
“ICE does not separate families. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates,” the statement continued. “This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.”
“Parents can take control of their departure with the CBP Home app and reserve the chance to come back the right legal way,” the spokesperson added. “The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”
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Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, is currently running for governor in Georgia. (Matt Odom/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The spokesperson made the case that cooperating with ICE is commonsense policy.
“Seven of the top ten safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE,” the official continued. “Partnerships with law enforcement are critical to having the resources we need to arrest criminal illegal aliens across the country. We have had tremendous success when local law enforcement work with us, including 40,000 arrests in Florida and a two-week operation in West Virginia that resulted in the arrest of over 650 illegal aliens.”
“When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers have to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities,” the statement added.
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Federal agents are seen walking in uniform. (John Moore/Getty Images)
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The spokesperson shared mugshots of illegal aliens arrested in Atlanta for crimes ranging from “strongarm rape” and sexual offenses toward a child to “threat-terroristic state offenses.”