ICE detention facility proposed in Merrimack, New Hampshire will not move forward
The Department of Homeland Security is not moving forward with a planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte announced the decision Tuesday, saying that she had met with DHS Sec. Kristi Noem in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss the proposal. The agency's plans had called for a warehouse on Robert Milligan Parkway to be converted into a 400-600 bed facility that would house detainees for an average of three to seven days.
"I thank Secretary Noem for hearing the concerns of the Town of Merrimack and for the continued cooperation between DHS and New Hampshire law enforcement to secure our northern border, keep dangerous criminals off our streets, and ensure our communities are safe," Ayotte said in a statement.
"I appreciated my discussions with Governor Ayotte last week," Noem said. "From banning sanctuary cities to strengthening law enforcement cooperation, New Hampshire has been a strong partner in securing our country, and we look forward to continuing our work together."
The proposal for the new detention facility faced opposition from some in the community. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, called on Ayotte to oppose the detention center, which would have been 12 miles from the state border. New Hampshire Republican state Sen. Tim McGough said there were a lot of "unanswered questions" about the facility.
"We know the impact will likely not be all that great for a lot of reasons, safety, security, property values," McGough told WBZ-TV.
Acting ICE director Todd Lyons testified at a Senate hearing earlier this month that he had sent an economic impact summary of the proposed facility to Ayotte, but she denied receiving the document and called the process "troubling."
New Hampshire Democrats in Congress on Monday introduced a bill that would require DHS to ask for public comment and get written approval from state and local officials before building any new ICE detention centers.
