ICE and local police coordinate traffic stops to arrest immigrants in Savannah

Federal and local officers staged coordinated traffic stops outside Savannah on June 11, 2025, leading to the arrest of at least eight immigrant laborers, according to body camera footage and official reports. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents rode with Chatham County Police Department patrols and directly questioned drivers and passengers during two stops in immigrant-heavy areas. The footage, reviewed by multiple outlets, offers a rare, unfiltered look at how ICE works alongside local police in Georgia—an approach that advocates say marks a sharp turn toward public, street-level enforcement in the Savannah area.

The operation: what happened on June 11

• The Chatham County operation lasted under two hours, Police Chief Jeff Hadley said.
• Chief Hadley added his department has “no specific written policy on cooperation with ICE and Border Patrol agents” and described the June 11 operation as the only such action involving his force.
• Body camera footage shows ICE agents instructing local officers on how police-initiated traffic stops can serve as a legal pretext for immigration checks.

Although ICE does not have statutory authority to make routine traffic stops, local police do—creating a route for rapid status questions and arrests when federal agents ride along. Body cameras captured ICE agents asking vehicle occupants, “When did you cross the border?” When individuals were suspected of lacking legal status, they were handcuffed, placed in police vehicles, and transported for processing.

• In some cases, family or friends who arrived to retrieve vehicles were also questioned and could be detained.
• Advocates note immediate, cascading consequences for immigrant families who often rely on a single wage earner: lost paychecks, missed rent, and children without a parent at pickup time.

Broader policy context and national trends

The Georgia arrests fit into a broader national shift under President Trump’s renewed push for aggressive enforcement that relies more on local police.

• In July 2024, President Trump said, “I’d be using local police. They know everything about the criminals, and you’d certainly start with the heavyset criminals.”
• Early 2025 changes in Georgia required closer cooperation between county jails and ICE, standardizing processes that increased arrest numbers and enabled more field operations resembling the June 11 ride-alongs.

According to recent state data:

Arrests also affected people from Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras, and Colombia. The Atlanta field office’s elevated ranking tracks with both the state policy shift and federal hiring increases.

Operational tactics and critiques

• Agents involved in the Savannah operation emphasized that traffic stops can be an efficient way to identify people for removal.
• Some media coverage labeled the approach “Easy money,” reflecting how efficient but blunt the stops can be for making quick arrests with minimal paperwork.
• Immigration attorneys argue that treating routine traffic enforcement as a pipeline to detention erodes trust and blurs the line between local policing and federal immigration work.

Concerns raised by advocates and attorneys:

• Residents become less willing to report crimes or serve as witnesses if any contact with police could lead to deportation.
• Rapid field questioning, often without counsel present, tilts power toward arrest.
• Questioning relatives who arrive on scene can widen the dragnet and split families.

Policy context in Georgia (detailed)

Georgia’s early-2025 state law requires closer jail cooperation with ICE and has standardized identification and handoff procedures at county facilities. Federal capacity has also been expanded:

• ICE is recruiting and training up to 10,000 new officers, with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center near Savannah playing a central role.
• Starting this month, 75 Georgia National Guard members are scheduled to provide logistical and administrative support to ICE (biometric collection, data entry), freeing sworn personnel for field operations. State troops will not make arrests.

Federal rules have also tightened release practices:

• New bond rules make it harder for detained immigrants to obtain bond, contributing to overcrowding in Georgia detention centers, according to advocates.
• Tom Homan, President Trump’s border czar, argues that jail-based arrests are safer and more efficient because individuals are already in custody. Yet the Savannah operation shows the federal emphasis extends into neighborhoods through patrol ride-alongs.

This model contrasts with pre-2025 practices in Georgia when most arrests occurred inside jails and ride-alongs were rare. Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests this reflects a wider U.S. trend toward interagency field work in states that support federal enforcement goals.

Human impact and community reactions

For Savannah families, the effects are immediate and severe:

• Many arrested on June 11 were laborers; detaining a wage earner can eliminate household income overnight.
• Community groups describe a cascade of economic stress: missed payments, stalled remittances, children pulled from daycare, and sudden instability.

Voices and concerns:

• Gigi Pedraza of the Latino Community Fund called the moment “open season” on immigrants, saying fear now shapes daily routines: people avoid driving to work, keep kids home from activities, and skip doctor’s appointments.
• Immigration attorneys point to legal and procedural ambiguity around ride-alongs, noting how a stop for a minor infraction (e.g., obscured license plate) can quickly shift into an immigration investigation.
• Advocates stress the power imbalance when questioning occurs in the field without lawyers.

Local officials emphasize limits:

• Chief Hadley reiterated there’s no formal departmental policy guiding these partnerships and called the June 11 operation a one-off.
• Federal officials counter that interagency cooperation is essential to remove people with prior removal orders or criminal records more efficiently.

What this means going forward

• With 5,670 arrests in the first half of 2025 and deportations near half that total, Georgia is likely to remain a national hotspot.
• As new agents graduate from training pipelines and state support (e.g., National Guard administrative assistance) continues, field divisions gain capacity to plan and stage more operations.
• If current policies hold through the end of 2025, ride-alongs like those near Savannah could become a standard part of federal-state enforcement toolkits.

Legal and civil-rights implications:

• Attorneys anticipate more legal challenges as civil-rights groups question how far local police can go in facilitating federal immigration arrests during routine stops—especially given ICE’s lack of authority to conduct traffic enforcement on its own.

Practical advice and community recommendations

Because bond has become harder to secure under new rules, fast access to counsel and community support is more urgent. Legal and community groups advise:

1. Keep key documents ready:
   • Proof of identity
   • Evidence of long-term residence
   • Records showing family ties
2. Know legal rights:
   • The right to remain silent
   • The right to speak with a lawyer
3. Prepare emergency supports:
   • Childcare backups
   • Financial contingencies for missed paychecks
4. Connect with local community groups for rapid assistance and referrals

The June 11 events show how much power can sit in a routine traffic stop: a minor infraction can lead to a border-entry question, handcuffs, and transport to processing. For ICE, that sequence can be operationally clean. For families, it can mean sudden separation and months of uncertainty.

For official information about federal enforcement operations and policy, visit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.