SBA to move out of Atlanta
The Trump administration is moving some federal offices out of Atlanta because it says it’s a “sanctuary city.” The Small Business Administration is leaving downtown because of what officials say are immigrant-friendly city policies.
ATLANTA – The Trump administration has announced plans to relocate the Small Business Administration (SBA) office from downtown Atlanta, citing the city’s immigrant-friendly policies as the reason for the move.
The federal agency, which provides support and contracts to small businesses across the country, announced Thursday that the offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle will be moved to what it calls, “to less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law.”
What we know:
Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler laid out her plan in an interview with FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo on Monday.
Loeffler said that the decision stems from concerns over Atlanta’s stance on immigration.
“In a sanctuary city, you don’t know if they’re going to have your back as an American citizen,” said Loeffler. “We need to make sure that we’re located in places that care about the safety and security of their people, and that small businesses feel comfortable approaching these offices.”
Loeffler claimed that Atlanta’s policies allegedly support undocumented immigrants in breaking the law.
It’s not clear which specific policies she was referring to.
“We want to be in communities that have high growth opportunities for small businesses that are approachable and secure, and that really help drive growth in communities that are wanting that growth and not opposing federal law,” she said.
The other side:
One city official pushed back against Loeffler’s claims that Atlanta is a sanctuary city, telling FOX 5 that Atlanta cannot be, because such policies are banned under Georgia state law.
There’s no legal definition for sanctuary city policies, but they generally limit cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers.
Councilmember Jason Dozier slammed the decision in a statement to FOX 5:
The livelihoods of small business owners shouldn’t be jeopardized by billionaires like Kelly Loeffler and Elon Musk who are far-removed from experiencing the struggles of owning and operating a small business.
Whether it’s securing funding, making payroll, or growing a business in an environment challenged by the increased costs of goods, labor shortages, and general economic uncertainty, the decision-makers in Washington clearly don’t have Atlanta’s best interests at heart. Our small business owners, particularly Black entrepreneurs, rely on SBA programs for loans, technical assistance, and government contracts. Moving the office from Atlanta makes it harder for local businesses to access these resources. And let’s be clear, relocating a federal office is expensive, requiring new leases, staff relocations, and the logistics support to make it all happen—funds that could be better spent directly supporting small businesses directly.
Black-owned businesses are especially vulnerable as they have historically been underfunded and underserved and removing a federal resource from a city with a significant Black business community exacerbates these disparities rather than addressing them. Lastly, I’ll note that the City of Atlanta generates a significant portion of the Georgia’s GDP, and small businesses are the backbone of that success. Weakening SBA support in Atlanta weakens Georgia’s economy as a whole. Let’s get folks to work. We’re tired of the politics.
What’s next:
The Trump administration has not yet announced the new location for the Georgia SBA office.
Loeffler suggested the office could move to a more rural or suburban area.
“It could be more rural areas. It could be more suburban areas that really uphold the rule of law, that allow their police to enforce the law and to cooperate with ICE,” she said.
By the numbers:
According to the organization Small Business Majority, there are 778,000 small businesses across metro Atlanta.
It came out against the plan.
“Closing the Atlanta office of the SBA would likely make it more difficult for Atlanta’s robust entrepreneurial community to access valuable resources,” a spokesperson for the Small Business Majority said. “It’s also not clear why a city’s policies toward immigrants would disqualify it from serving small businesses well. With that in mind, we urge Administrator Loeffler to reconsider her plan to shutter offices in or near major cities like Atlanta.”
The Source: This article is based on original reporting by FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo and his interview on Monday with SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. Additional information was obtained from Atlanta city officials.
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