U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) is calling on the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to increase federal law enforcement resources in Atlanta.

Rep. Carter claims there has been a rise in illegal immigration and associated public safety concerns.

In a letter addressed to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Carter praised the Trump administration for securing the southern border, noting that apprehensions are at their lowest levels in 50 years. But he said the situation in Georgia remains urgent.

"Rising levels of illegal immigrants and increasing threats to public safety in Georgia highlight the urgent need for an enhanced ICE presence in Atlanta," Carter wrote.

Carter cited reports estimating nearly 500,000 people living in Georgia without legal status, a 45% increase since 2018. He said every individual residing in the state illegally has broken the law and argued that a lack of enforcement could encourage both illegal immigration and criminal activity.

The congressman highlighted recent cases to underscore his concerns. He referenced the arrest of Salvador Rodriguez-Mendoza, a Mexican national in Georgia with an active warrant for murder and two counts of aggravated assault, as well as a separate incident earlier this year in which a Honduran national allegedly strangled a mother of five in Atlanta.

Carter said deploying more federal officers would support local law enforcement in deterring unlawful entry, disrupting illegal networks, and keeping communities safe. 

"Without the increased assistance of federal agents with local law enforcement, more of these criminals will be emboldened to commit crimes and will never face justice," he wrote.

The letter concludes with a call for continued collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities to "make Georgia and our nation safer."