Federal Officials Plan Mass Transfer of 400 Georgia Detainees Amid Legal Community Outcry
The U.S. Marshals Service plans to move 400 pre-trial detainees from a Georgia private prison, sparking warnings of legal delays and constitutional concerns.
POLICY WIRE — Atlanta, USA — The U.S. Marshals Service is initiating the transfer of approximately 400 pre-trial detainees from a private Georgia prison operated by the Florida-based GEO Group to a new location nearly 200 miles away. Insiders indicate that federal prosecutors, judges, and public defenders are concerned the relocation will severely disrupt criminal proceedings at the state’s busiest federal courthouse in Atlanta.
According to internal communications, the relocation will occur in waves over the next five weeks, prioritizing detainees without immediate court dates. The remaining population will be moved in weekly increments until the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility is fully vacated by October 31, 2026.
Pre-trial detention is typically reserved for individuals deemed a flight risk, those accused of violent offenses, or defendants who might obstruct justice or tamper with witnesses. In the Northern District of Georgia, common charges leading to such detention include gun offenses, fraud, drug distribution, and illegal reentry into the U.S.
Chief Judge Leigh Martin May of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia expressed strong opposition in a letter to state senators. She stated, Because of specific circumstances that exist in our District, ceasing to use RADD to house pre-trial detainees would be a catastrophe.
Judge May emphasized that all key stakeholders, including the U.S. Attorney and the Federal Public Defender, view the current facility as the optimal choice due to its proximity to the courthouse. Natasha Silas, executive director of the Federal Defender Program, warned that the move would impose significant financial burdens on the judiciary and hinder the ability of counsel to provide constitutionally mandated representation.
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The proposed destination, the Irwin County Detention Center, is located 188 miles from Atlanta. Judge May noted that a round trip would span 376 miles, forcing detainees into grueling travel schedules that could require them to wake up at 3:30 a.m. to reach court by 8:30 a.m., and potentially returning them to the facility as late as 9:00 p.m. due to traffic.
Concerns regarding the new facility, operated by Louisiana-based La Salle Corrections, remain high. Silas noted that the center has previously faced human rights complaints and investigations, leading to its temporary closure before the Trump administration reopened it in 2025. She added, “I have no reason to believe why Irwin County would be better,” noting the lack of nearby medical facilities.
The decision to vacate the GEO-run facility in Lovejoy stems from infrastructure failures, including malfunctioning locks, holes in cell walls, and missing tools. This facility has faced prior scrutiny, including a 2020 Justice Department audit that criticized GEO Group for failing to maintain required staffing levels, which the report suggested should have resulted in over $3.1 million in invoice deductions.
GEO Group, which secured a 20-year contract for the facility in 2008, currently holds $894 million in federal contracts for 2026. Despite ongoing lawsuits regarding facility conditions across various states, the company continues to expand its operations, including the refurbishment of previously shuttered prisons for immigration detention.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)