ATLANTA — Georgia congressman Buddy Carter is calling for federal troops to be deployed to Atlanta.

Carter, who represents the state’s 1st District, has sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection urging the deployment of federal troops to Atlanta.

In the letter, Carter calls on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Immigration Director Todd Lyons to increase the presence of ICE in the city, citing what he describes as rising numbers of undocumented immigrants and growing threats to public safety in Georgia.

“By deploying more federal officers, DHS and ICE would provide crucial support to local and state partners,” he said. “Increasing enforcement presence would help deter unlawful entry, disrupt illegal networks, and uphold the rule of law. A stronger federal role would also help prevent the very real public safety risks that criminals pose and restore confidence in the system designed to keep us safe.”

Carter points to rising levels of undocumented immigrants and growing threats to public safety make the move necessary.

Carter says, “according to one report, nearly 500,0000 illegal aliens are living in Georgia. That represents a 45% increase since 2018 in the number of people in Georgia living in open defiance of the law.”

To read the full letter, click here.